The mandarin orange is originally from China and spread throughout Asia in the 10th century. The plants reached Europe in the early 1800s, and then came to the U.S in 1882.

The mandarin fruit have an easy to peel red-orange skin and is sometimes called a Tangerine. The fruit is smaller and usually sweeter than a regular orange, and are ready to pick in the winter. Some of the available varieties are Satsuma, Pixie and Clementine.

As most citrus trees, they need to be planted in full sun and in well-drained soil.

Young mandarin trees need to be watered frequently, but be sure to let them dry between watering. The more established trees can live off rainfall.

The trees need to be fertilized every 6 weeks, and then once established, only 3 times a year.

Mandarin oranges have a definite citrus smell and taste. I have a orange slice cheesecake recipe where I add these mandarin slices and it is heavenly.

The Satsuma orange was very popular as a “Dooryard” tree in the Houston area until 1911 when a very cold November caused a loss of most of the trees. Even though the Satsuma is one of the hardiest citrus tree varieties, even it couldn’t withstand the 8 degree and colder temperatures. To make matters even worse, the area was hit shortly thereafter by a bad hurricane in 1915 causing over 90% loss of crops. It has been a slow road back to production since then.

The Satsuma is what we typically call a mandarin orange, again referring back to its Japanese roots. It is a sweet, juicy fruit with a very loose skin that makes it extremely easy to peel. The sweetness and lack of seeds make it a particular favourite of children who often find regular oranges too tart to eat. Its popularity among the younger set might also come from its common use in a summer favourite… marshmallow fruit salad!

If you enjoy the challenge of growing citrus trees in containers, you’ll be pleased to know that the Satsuma Orange is a very container friendly variety. Growing your Satsuma in a container will keep its growth to a minimum and you will be easily able to move it indoors during the colder months. Here are a few hints to help you succeed:

o A 20 gallon container is a good size to use, and make sure there are adequate drainage holes in the bottom.

o Use a light, well draining potting mix. It should specify on the package that it is suitable for container growing.

o Apply a slow release fertilizer once e early in the spring. Be certain to follow the manufacturer’s directions carefully as too much fertilizer may damage the tree.

o Plant your Satsuma orange tree where it will receive lots of direct sunlight and water as necessary.

o Bring your container in when temperatures start to droop in the fall. Even moving your container to the garage is easier than trying to protect it with plastic and shelters outdoors.

o Harvest your fruit when it is starting to turn from green to orange in September or October.

When planning where to put your orange tree, be sure to know how tall your tree is going to be. Some trees can reach over 50 feet so you want to be sure to give it space. You don’t want to have to move the things in your yard around because your orange tree grew too tall and wide.

As for the soil, orange trees grow great in well drained sandy soil. The soil should also be deep enough as orange trees need a lot of support from their roots.

There are several good orange trees on the market, but my favorite is the Washington Navel. This tree is also sold as a dwarf, growing to about 8 feet. The fruit is easy to peel, delicious and has no seeds. The orange blossoms are fragrant in the spring and the foliage is lush, making it a beautiful addition to your yard or home.

The orange blossoms always remind me of when I was a kid, and we would drive to Florida for vacations. We could open the windows of the car and just inhale the sweet orange blossom fragrance.

As for light, if you keep the tree outside, be sure it has full sun. If you keep the tree indoors, make sure it has a bright interior light.

Orange trees added to your yard or home are fun because with little care, you are going to enjoy these sweet fruits each year. Just pick an orange when ripe and use it to eat or use the orange zest for cooking. You know you have the freshest orange around.

Don’t forget, to make sure your time and money is well spent, check with your local nursery so you know you have the best orange tree available for your area and situation.

Orange trees can grow to 50 feet, so when you are looking for a place to plant it, you want to keep the height in mind. It should have a lot of open space with plenty of room to expand.

The soil for the orange tree needs to allow for the extensive root system as the large trees need a lot of support. The soil should be sandy and have good drainage.

The most popular orange tree is the Washington Navel. The Washington Navel came from Brazil in the early 1800s and then moved to Florida. It has one of the biggest oranges around. It is not as juicy as other oranges, but has a very tangy flavor. This tree is the most used orange tree by commercial growers.

Another popular orange tree is the Trovita. It was created in a California lab in the early 1900s when they were experimenting with new types of citruses. The tree began being marketed around 1940. The Trovita does not have a strong taste and does have a lot of seeds. But it is very hardy and is adaptable to hot humid climates. A lot of the popular oranges in Florida are the Trovita.

The Valencia is one of the most popular orange trees in the southern states and in South Africa. The Rhode Red Valencia was created around 1960 and is another very hardy orange tree. The oranges are juicier and less acidic that the standard Valencia oranges.

Orange trees are great plants to have in your yard. Once they are planted, they require little maintenance and you will have wonderful oranges for years to come.

Before you buy an orange tree, be sure to check with your local nursery and see if the type of tree you want will flourish in your area.

First thing to keep in mind is climate and location. Do you want to plant the tree directly in your yard or in a container? If you will be planting outdoors you should do some research into which types of trees are most adaptable to your particular climate.

Citrus trees are hardy but they cannot survive below 20 degrees for more than a few hours and thin-skinned fruits like lemons are damaged with anything below 28 degrees.

Citrus trees thrive in the moderate temperatures of California, Florida, Texas and Arizona. However, if you live in a colder region, don’t despair. You can buy a potable citrus tree that you can bring inside during the winter. There are dwarf varieties of most citrus trees that are excellent for this.

You should remember that all citrus trees require frequent deep watering. They also need nutrient rich soil and should be fertilized often if you want them to bear fruit.

Lemon, orange and grapefruit trees all need plenty of sunlight to grow as well as soil that drains well. Well draining soil is necessary to protect roots from rot. Observe your yard carefully before choosing where to plant.

The next important choice in buying a citrus tree is an easy one- which fruit do you most enjoy? (Or perhaps this is the hardest choice). Once you have decided on a particular fruit – lemons for example – do some research on which type will be best for you.

Some people prefer Meyer lemons, which are sweeter while others swear by Lisbons for their tart, tangy flavor. Once you have grown your first citrus tree, you will certainly want to plant others.