Ĭlementines lose their desirable seedless characteristic when they are cross-pollinated with other fruit. It was introduced into California commercial agriculture in 1914, though it was grown at the Citrus Research Center (now part of the University of California, Riverside) as early as 1909. As a result, the tastiest Clementines are from these hot regions. These regions such as North Africa, Mediterranean basin, and California, also favor maximizing the Clementine size and quality. However, in regions of high total heat, the Clementine bears fruit early only slightly later than satsuma mandarins. Cultivation Ĭlementines differ from other citrus in having lower heat requirement, which means the tolerance to fruit maturity and sensitivity to unfavorable conditions during the flowering and fruit-setting period is higher. Clementines resemble other citrus varieties such as the satsuma and tangerines. There are three types of clementines: seedless clementines, clementines (maximum of 10 seeds), and Monreal (more than 10 seeds). Some sources have attributed an earlier origin for the hybrid, pointing to similar fruit native to the provinces of Guangxi and Guangdong in present-day China, but these are likely distinct mandarin hybrids, and genomic analysis of the clementine has shown it to have arisen from a cross between a sweet orange ( Citrus × sinensis) and the Mediterranean willowleaf mandarin ( Citrus × deliciosa), consistent with Algerian origin. The clementine is a spontaneous citrus hybrid that arose in the late 19th century in Misserghin, Algeria, in the garden of the orphanage of the French Missionary Brother Clément Rodier, for whom it would be formally named in 1902.

Clementine Mural in Puisserguier France, celebrating Father Abram, founder of the Algerian Misserghin orphanage where the 1st citrus clementina was selected

Clementine v tangerine v mandarin