Mandarin orange

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{{Taxobox | color = lightgreen | name = Mandarin orange | image = Satsuma mandarin2.jpg | image_width = 200px | image_caption = Satsuma Mandarin Orange | regnum = Plantae | divisio = Magnoliophyta | classis = Magnoliopsida | subclassis = Rosidae | ordo = Sapindales | familia = Rutaceae | genus = Citrus | species = C. reticulata | binomial = Citrus reticulata }}

The Mandarin orange is a small citrus tree (Citrus reticulata) with fruit resembling the orange. The fruit is oblate, rather than spherical, and roughly resembles a pumpkin in shape. Mandarin oranges are usually eaten plain or in fruit salads. Specifically reddish orange Mandarin cultivars can be marketed as a tangerine, but this is not a botanical classification.

Varieties of mandarin orange include the satsuma, clementine, tangor and several new varieties such as Gold Nugget recently released by the University of California, Riverside. There are over 200 satsuma cultivars, the most well known of these being the Owari. Owaris become ripe in November and December in Northern Hemisphere. Clementines have displaced satsumas in many markets and are becoming the most important commercial Mandarin variety. The "Clemenules" or "Nules" clementine accounts for the great majority of clementines produced in the world. Spain alone has over 200,000 acres (800 km²), producing fruit between November and January. Mandarins marketed as tangerines are usually Dancy, Sunburst or Murcott (Honey) cultivars.

In many varieties, notably most satsumas and clementines, the rind is loose and can easily be removed by hand. Most canned mandarin oranges are satsumas. In Japan, satsumas are called mikan.

The tangor, also called a temple orange, is a cross between a mandarin and an orange. Its thin rind is also easy to peel, and its pale orange pulp is spicy, full-flavored, and tart.

Citrus fruit varieties are usually self-fertile (needing the bee only to move pollen within the same flower), or parthenocarpic, not needing pollination and therefore seedless (such as satsumas). Blossoms from the Dancy cultivar (for instance) are an exception. They are self sterile, therefore must have a pollenizer variety to supply pollen, and a high bee population to make a good crop. Further, some varieties, notably clementines, are usually seed free, but will develop seeds if cross pollenated with seeded citrus. Thus great efforts are taken to isolate clementine orchards from any seeded citrus varieties.