Mandarin

Mandarin

Plural:
Mandarins
Family:
Rutaceae – Citrus Family
Species:
Citrus reticulata

Origin

The genuine Chinese mandarin probably originates from Indochina and spread itself in India, Sri Lanca and on the Philippines. For a long time it was cultivated in China and Japan and finally in 19. Century arrived first to Europe, later into the USA.

Species of mandarin nowadays are cultivated world-wide, thus in all Mediterranean countries, in addition in North America and South America, South Africa, Australia and further in its Southeast Asiatic homeland.

The term mandarin meanwhile is a collective term for different species and forms of breeding. Common mandarins are yellow-orange and aromatically, however high in cores.

Plant

Mandarins grow at evergreen and thorny shrubs or trees, 2 to 8 ms in height. Since they are rather insensitive to low temperature, they also prosper in the Mediterranean countries. The plants belong to a group which contains multitudinous varieties — evolved either from coincidental natural mutation or from systemic crossbreedings. Some characteristics have all of them: They are smaller than oranges, they are easier to peel and their 8 to 12 segments easily separate of each other.

Cultivation

Unfortunately the cultivation of mandarins decreases continuously. Indeed the fruits taste more aromatically than all newly breedings and cross-breedings of clementines, but they contain many cores. However, coreless varieties are in great demand.

Importations

From November to February from Italy, Morocco and Spain.

Fruit

Edible:
flesh.
Inedible:
treated paring.
Odour and flavour:
typical flavour of mandarins.
Size and shape:
medium sized, flattened at stem and bloom.
Paring:
fine pored, thinly, smooth and to seperate easily, lightyellow to orange.
Flesh:
up to 25 cores, delicate, very juicy, sweetly and aromatically.
Ripeness:
fruits are colored evenly, to peel easily.
Overripe fruits:
the paring begins to putrefy.
Unripe fruits:
paring very pale, possibly with green spots, hardly separating from the flesh.

Storage

Mature fruits approximately 3 days at room temperature. Like all other citrus fruits mandarins will not continue to ripen after the harvest.