Native to China, today the Chinese are the largest global producer of the fruit, harvesting over 12 million tons every year. What is a Mandarin?Ī mandarin is similar to a standard orange but smaller and less spherical with a pebbly skin. Now that we have established that the two fruits are different, it is time to compare clementines vs mandarins more fully. So while all clementines are mandarins, not all mandarin fruits are clementines. From there the plants were spread, mainly along the trader routes, throughout the Mediterranean. Whilst the fruit still bears his name, many experts believe that the clementine is an older fruit which is native to China. Legend has it that a monk named Father Clement Rodier discovered the clementine whilst living in Algeria. The fruits are hybrids, a product of crossing the Chinese or willow-leaf mandarin with the sweet orange.

The clementine ( Citrus Reticulata Clementine) is actually a type of mandarin. It is an ancestor to many of the other citrus varieties that are native to Southeast Asia. The pith is the spongy white portion that sits between the rind and the flesh of the fruit.Ī type of tangerine, the Mandarin is one of the earliest citrus fruits. The latter word, Reticulata, is Latin and refers to the net-like pattern made by the fruits pith. The mandarin has the botanical name Citrus Reticulata. Clementines vs Mandarins: The Botany Behind the Fruitīoth the clementine and mandarin are citrus fruits. When comparing clementines vs mandarins you notice that both fruits are similar in appearance. This article will guide you through the key differences and similarities between the clementine and mandarin. So alike that they are often confused, the question of whether small orange fruits are clementines vs mandarins can be difficult to answer. But what is the real difference between clementines vs mandarins? Smaller versions of the larger orange, these two compact fruits are smaller, sweeter and easier to peel. Similar in appearance, both Clementines and Mandarins are popular citrus fruits.

Clementine v tangerine v mandarin