Mandarins

Member of the citrus family -; 8-10 segments , Orange glossy skin ,Soft flesh with less pith than oranges ,Sweet/acid flavor, Easy to peel

Mandarin trees are smaller, more upright, less vigorous, practically thorn free and have smaller leaves than orange trees.

When selecting mandarins choose those that have a rich, glossy skin with a fine texture. Avoid any fruits that have obvious soft spots. A puffy appearance and feel is normal due to the nature of the easy-to-peel skin.

Mandarins are at their best eaten fresh. They also lend themselves too many dishes such as fruit and savory salads, cakes, desserts, cocktails and meat dishes. Mandarin segments are an excellent way to decorate fruit flans, cheesecakes and Pavlovas. For school lunches, mandarins are an ideal snack as they are easy to peel and segment.

Mandarin trees, the Glen Retreat and the Imperial varieties in particular, are pruned annually in winter to shorten whippy shoots and thin out some of the fruiting woods. Mandarin trees need to be sprayed each year to control diseases such as black spot and melanose. Major pests include mites and fruit flies and to a lesser extent, aphids and grasshoppers.

Along with the orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime, the mandarin belongs to the genus citrus. Overseas, mandarins are often referred to as tangerines.

Like other various species of the genus citrus, mandarins are believed to be native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and the Malaysian Archipelago.
Mandarins have been grown in China and Japan for many thousands of years.

Growing Regions

QLD - Emerald, Gayndah, Grantham, Sunshine Coast
NSW - Griffith, Sunraysia