What Is a Clementine Tangerine?

A clementine is a hybrid of a tangerine and an orange.

The clementine is a cross between a tangerine and an orange. While it is a type of tangerine, the clementine has characteristics that make it an easier fruit to eat out of hand.

History

The clementine was developed in 1902 by Father Clement Rodier, a French missionary working in Algeria. It was introduced to the United States in 1909.

Classification

Tangerine, Satsuma orange and mandarin orange are all common names that refer to one species: Citrus reticulata. The clementine, because it is a hybrid, is called a cultivar, or cultivated variety, of Citrus reticulata. Technically, therefore, a clementine is a type of tangerine.

Characteristics

Clementines differ from other tangerines in having looser skin, which makes them easier to peel. They are also seedless, although they can produce seeds when cross-pollinated with other plants.

References

• Growquest: Clementine Tangerine Tree
• The Worldwide Gourmet: The History of the Clementine
• Difference Between: Difference Between Tangerine and Clementine