Best Mandarin Like 'Cuties' for Arizona

14 years ago

Hi:

I'm just getting started with citrus and wanting to purchase a mandarin tree.

This time of year we love the "cutie" mandarins available at retail supermarkets. I especially love how they peel easily, no seeds, separate nicely, and juicy/sweet.

I'm trying to find a variety of mandarin that are closest to these "cuties" that do well in the Arizona climate, we are in zone 9.

I've been researching clementines, murcotts and tangos but still so confused as to what would be best.

Also, I'm looking for a variety that can be potted for easy of transportation to new home.

If anyone has any experience with these I'd welcome the comments.

Thanks in advance for any ideas/help!7

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Comments (4)

AJBB
14 years ago
Cuties is the marketing term for seedless mandarins being sold out of California.

In the past, they used to be Fremont, Murcott, and Clementine mandarins that used to be sprayed with gibberellic acid to make them seedless.

I think the current group of Cuties consist of Gold Nugget and Tango (a mutant form of Murcott that is seedless). Tango is a commerical variety and not easily obtainable for home gardeners and Gold Nugget is a fairly new variety that hasn't been extensively tested for our growing conditions.

If you want something similar to the store bought stuff and don't mind the seeds, consider the Fremont mandarin. You can also buy Gold Nugget, but the jury is still out as to whether or not it will thrive in our climate. Some mandarins, like Satsumas, for example, don't do very well in Arizona.
thisisme
14 years ago
I purchased a Gold Nugget last year. I asked my local Lowe's to order one for me. No fruit yet but it appears to be doing equally as well as any of the trees I received from Greenfield Citrus Nursery.
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agility_mom
14 years ago
I bought a Gold Nugget and a Tango from Baker Nursery in Phoenix last fall. Since they are so young, I don't have any experience with them as far as taste, vigor etc. I got them for the same reason that you are looking for mandarin trees. I love Cuties and wanted to grow something similar. Both of these are supposed to be very sweet and seedless. The Gold Nugget is supposed to be seedless even when planted close to other seeded citrus. The Tango has been promising in trials but the jury is still out on that one.
At least you know of another place where they carry them
for sale.
azjoshb
14 years ago
I have a tango that I bought last spring. Its trunk calipers at about 2.5 inches, but it only stands about 3 feet tall. I have it planted in a fast draining soil in a massive concrete pot. I water it twice a week in the summer and gradually decrease to once a month in the winter. I fertilize it three times a year(never when they are blooming) and I got roughly 20 fruit. Personally, they taste just as good as the cuties, no seeds, thin peel, but are slightly smaller in size.