

This variety of mandarin orange is considered to have thin and fairly tight rinds.There are three types of oranges: sweet oranges, bitter oranges, and mandarins. In North American, the tangerines that are known are the late season variety, available from late October to January. The popularity of cultivating tangerines only reached the western world around the 19th century. The cultivation of tangerines started some 3,000 years ago in certain parts of China and Japan. Clementines are usually available in the market from late October to February. Some though, find it hard to distinguish clementines from other mandarin orange varieties such as the satsuma or honey sweet orange. Currently, most consumers refer to the easy-peel varieties as clementines. Clementines were introduced to North America in 1914. Preference for the fruit also stemmed from it being deliciously sweet and seedless. It gained popularity for its appearance, which was redder than the mandarin. This resulted in the clementine, initially regarded not as a mandarin tree or an orange tree. Brother Clement helped run an orphanage and worked on making grafts of citrus trees. The discovery of the clementine is attributed to a French missionary brother from Algeria, Marie-Clément Rodier. Being easy to peel is a common characteristic of mandarin oranges. This particular fruit has bright orange skin and is relatively easy to peel.

A tangerine, on the other hand, is a citrus fruit which belongs to the Citrus tangerina species and is a type of mandarin orange. It can be identified by its red-orange skin. It belongs to the Citrus x clementina species. Origin and other characteristicsĪ clementine is a citrus fruit that is actually a hybrid of a mandarin orange and a sweet orange. The tangerine, on the other hand, is less sweet compared to the clementine and it contains seeds. The clementine’s rind is very smooth and shiny, it has a honey-sweet taste, and it is seedless. The difference between a clementine and a tangerine is not so obvious from the outside but becomes more evident when consumed.

This citrus fruit is less sweet compared to other types of mandarin oranges and it contains seeds.

The scientific name of the tangerine is Citrus tangerina. This particular citrus fruit has a honey-sweet flavor and is seedless. The scientific name of the clementine is Citrus x clementina. Clementine Tangerine Citrus x clementina Citrus tangerina Red-orange skin Bright orange skin Honey-sweet Less sweet Seedless Has seeds Descriptions Clementines
