Content
There are about 200 varieties of tangerines, hybrids and other varieties. They are classified according to various characteristics, for example, peel color and taste. A separate group includes hybrids and dwarf varieties, which are quite easy to grow at home.
What types of tangerines are there?
There are many classifications of types and varieties of tangerines. Different criteria are used as a basis:
- color – red, yellow, green;
- taste – sweet, sweet and sour;
- hybrids - obtained from crossing two or three crops;
- region of origin – Turkish, Chinese, Moroccan, Abkhazian.
There is also a scientific classification, according to which all varieties are combined into seven large pomological groups:
- Citrus unshiu is a dwarf Japanese variety suitable for temperate climates. This group includes trees that are grown in Abkhazia, Georgia and Crimea.
- Citrus austere are the sweetest tangerines with red-orange peel, they are cultivated in the USA.
- Citrus deliciosa is grown in China and the Mediterranean region. Can also be grown as a home bush.
- Citrus reticulate is a Sino-Indian group: such trees can be found in Brazil, the Philippines and Taiwan.
- Citrus nobilis (noble tangerines) is an Indian-Malay group: the main growing region is Southeast Asia. The skin is thick, the taste is pleasant, sweet, the flesh is juicy.
- Sino-Japanese group - dwarf varieties, often grown at home.
- Hybrids are various forms obtained by crossing different varieties and types of citrus fruits with each other.
There are more than 200 varieties of tangerines
Classification of tangerine varieties by color
One of the simplest classifications of practical importance is the division of fruits depending on their color. According to this indicator, they are divided into red, yellow and green.
Varieties of red tangerines
Red tangerines are distinguished not only by their visual appeal, but also by their very sweet taste. They give a slight sourness, and often the fruits are completely sweet, without any aftertaste. The peel is bright orange, closer to red, often glossy. The pulp is the same color, sometimes a little lighter. The list of the most popular varieties of red tangerines includes Clementine, Ellendale, Tangelo and other varieties.
Clementines
A well-known variety sold in many retail chains. It is a hybrid (obtained from crossing with another citrus - orange). The color of the peel is rich orange, the flesh is sweet, practically without sourness.
Clementine fruits are slightly flattened on top and bottom, small in size
Ellendale
A variety of large tangerines with loose skin that is easily separated from the pulp. The color is rich orange, close to red. The pulp is very aromatic, sweet, and does not contain seeds. The variety was obtained by several crossings of tangerines with oranges and tangerines (one of the citrus fruits).
Tangelo
This is a popular variety of tangerines and belongs to the noble species. The color is bright orange, the skin is dense, the surface is lumpy. The shape is flattened oval. This variety is also obtained by crossing the tangerine tree and the pomelo tree.
Tangelo is also called orange (other names: tangor, tangelo)
Varieties of yellow tangerines
These varieties have a yellow skin, closer to lemon or light orange, often with greenish splashes. They are also quite sweet and juicy, although they are more acidic. The most common are Moroccan, Chinese and Abkhazian varieties of mandarin.
Moroccan
Fruits with golden skin that is easy to peel. The pulp is sweet, almost without sourness, and does not contain seeds. The size is medium, the appearance is very attractive. Another advantage is the affordable price.
Moroccan tangerines are often marked with a black sticker
Chinese
They are among the first to appear on the market and have rough and thick skin. The taste is average, the flesh is not so juicy. At the same time, they are affordable, so they are in demand.
Chinese fruits are almost always supplied with leaves on branches.
However, the Chinese varieties are not as juicy, they are less peelable, have thick skin, and they are also larger than the Abkhazian ones.
Abkhazian
Abkhazian - the most popular variety of yellow tangerines in Russia
They have juicy flesh with a balanced sweet and sour taste. The peel is loose, loose, and peels off very easily. There are no seeds in such fruits, so they can be eaten fresh or juiced without much difficulty.
Varieties of green tangerines
Green varieties are practically not found in Russia and neighboring countries. They are grown mainly in the Philippines.
Green Philippine mandarin
The color is dark green, like swamp mud. The surface is lumpy, but the flesh is very beautiful - orange.
Philippine fruits are juicy and sweet, have a good aroma
Tangerine
Tangerine (not to be confused with Tangelo) - a green Thai species
The color is rich green, partly reminiscent of the color of lime, with yellowish splashes. They ripen quite quickly and have a pleasant sweet taste. There is also a characteristic citrus smell, but it is not so pronounced.
Varieties of sweet tangerines
The sweet ones include mainly red varieties, although there are other examples. The ranking of the most delicious varieties includes the following:
- Robinson is a sweet and juicy fruit with bright orange skin that is smooth to the touch. The shape is oval, flattened. The only drawback is that it adheres tightly to the pulp and is difficult to remove from it.
- Temple (Royal Mandarin) – the flesh is sweet, the taste is reminiscent of an orange, there are seeds.
- Cleopatra is an Indian species that is also grown in other countries (Australia, USA, Spain). The fruits are small, the skin is bright, thin, the taste is very sweet.
- Dancy - the fruits are sweet and juicy, but the trees are not immune to pests and can be seriously damaged by insects.
Sweet tangerines have the most pleasant taste.
Hybrid varieties of tangerines
There are a lot of hybrid varieties of tangerine trees - only the most famous of them are described below:
- September was bred in Abkhazia (Sukhumi) and was one of the first in the USSR. It belongs to the early varieties, the harvest is harvested from September to October, which is why the hybrid got its name. The fruits are small in size, the skin is thin, and easy to peel off. Taste with a balance of sour and sweet.
- The Royal was bred in Pakistan and then perfected in California. The taste is pleasant, rich, with a rich aroma.
- Kumquat reale is a triple hybrid obtained from different species. It has an unusual oblong shape and a sweet and sour rich taste, and is also distinguished by a large number of seeds. The fruit can be eaten with the skin on. This bush can be grown not only in the garden, but also at home.
- Rangpur is a hybrid obtained from crossing with lemon. The taste has a noticeable sourness, while the fruits are small - no more than 5 cm in diameter.
- Mineola is derived from Dancy mandarin and Duncan grapefruit. The fruits are large, weighing more than 80 g each. The skin is bright orange, the flesh has a pronounced sweetness and sourness. The composition contains folic acid - 130 g (2 fruits) 100% of the daily dose.
- Nova is a hybrid based on tangelo Orlando and clementine, native to the southern states of the United States. The fruits are juicy and sweet, large - weighing 100 g or more.
Varieties of tangerines for home cultivation
At home, it is convenient to grow dwarf varieties of tangerine, which grow to a height of no more than 100–120 cm. They grow normally in indoor conditions, subject to certain care rules (watering, fertilizing, loosening, imitation of wintering).
Even in an apartment you can get a fruit harvest
The best varieties of tangerines for indoor growing include the following:
- Homemade Pavlovsky grows up to 1 m, the fruits are large, weighing 60–80 g, and the aroma is reminiscent of oranges.
- Jubilee - bred in the USSR on the basis of orange and the Miagawa Vase variety. Produces large, flavorful fruits with a balance of sweet and sour flavors.
- The Emperor is a prolific dwarf mandarin that bears fruit in December. The skin is loose, peels off easily, the flesh is sweet, with a pleasant taste.
- Unshiu produces a beautiful bush with wide decorative leaves. It can also be grown for fruit.
- Imperial - fruits weighing 60–80 g, sweet taste. The harvest ripens from November to December.
Varieties of seedless tangerines
Among the popular varieties of seedless tangerines you can find the following names:
- Satsuma - small fruits (up to 30 g) with loose, bumpy skin. The pulp is coarse, not very juicy, slices of different sizes, taste with noticeable sourness.
- Unshiu is an Abkhazian species with juicy, fleshy pulp and a pleasant sour aftertaste. The shape is round, flattened at the base, the skin is lumpy, the fruits are quite large (weight 70–100 g).
- Nadorcott is a Moroccan variety with no or minimal seeds. The taste is moderately sweet, the slices are reddish in color, the peel is easy to separate.
Conclusion
Types of tangerines are extremely diverse. They are crossed both with each other and with other citrus fruits - orange, lemon, grapefruit. Therefore, tangerine fruits have different tastes, appearances, sizes and even shapes.
