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.

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.

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.