Bang Mot tangerine facts for kids

The Bang Mot tangerine is a special type of mandarin orange that comes from the Bang Mot area in Bangkok, Thailand. Even though it's called a "tangerine," it's actually a kind of mandarin orange. Its scientific name is Citrus reticulata.

This unique fruit got its start in 1924. A local farmer brought some small plant pieces from another mandarin farm. He planted them in Bang Mot, near the Bang Mot canal. The soil there was very rich and had a lot of potassium. This special soil is what gives the Bang Mot tangerine its famous sweet and slightly sour taste. In the past, there were huge farms of these tangerines, covering about 96 square kilometers!

Sadly, in 1967, big floods hit Thon Buri. Many Bang Mot tangerine trees were destroyed. After the floods, many farmers were worried about planting them again. Also, as Bangkok grew bigger, there was less land for farming. Because of this, some farmers moved their tangerine plants to the Rangsit canal area. This led to another famous type of tangerine called the Rangsit tangerine.

What Does It Look Like?

The Bang Mot tangerine has a flat shape and a smooth, thin skin. Inside, the fruit is very juicy and bright orange. Its sections are easy to pull apart. When you taste it, you'll notice it's both sweet and a little bit sour. Many people think the Bang Mot tangerine has a stronger and more interesting flavor than other tangerines.

Plant Problems: Diseases

Like all plants, Bang Mot tangerine trees can get sick. Here are a couple of common diseases:

Root and Stem Rot

This disease is caused by a tiny fungus. It usually starts on the stem of the tree, right near the ground. You might see black marks on the skin of the tangerine fruit. Then, the orange skin can turn brown and start to rot. The leaves on the tree might turn pale yellow and fall off. Eventually, the branches can dry out and die.

Greening Disease

This sickness happens when tiny insects called plant hoppers carry germs to the orange trees. If a tree gets greening disease, its leaves will look pale yellow and thinner than usual. The fruit that grows on the tree will also be smaller than normal.

Plant Problems: Pests

Pests are small creatures that can harm plants. Here are some important pests for Bang Mot tangerine trees:

Leaf Miners

Leaf miners are tiny insects that eat the leaves of the tangerine tree. When they eat, they leave white, zigzag lines on the leaves. These lines show where they've been munching. Leaf miners can stop new leaves from growing properly. They can appear in any season and cause a lot of damage to young, growing leaves.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars are another common pest. They love to eat young tangerine leaves. As soon as caterpillars hatch from their eggs, they start eating right away. If there are too many caterpillars, they can eat so many leaves that they might even kill a tangerine tree.