Clementine facts for kids
A clementine is a small, sweet, and easy-to-peel citrus fruit. It's like a special mix, or hybrid, of a mandarin orange and a sweet orange. Clementines were first given their name in 1902.
These fruits are a deep orange color and look smooth and shiny. You can usually separate a clementine into 7 to 14 juicy pieces. Just like tangerines, clementines are known for being super easy to peel, which makes them a great snack! They are often very juicy and sweet, and they have less of the sour taste (less acid) than regular oranges. Sometimes, people even call them the Moroccan clementine.
Clementines are named after a French monk named Père Clément Rodier. He lived in North Africa in the early 1900s. He either found a new type of mandarin orange growing naturally, or he created this new fruit by mixing a mandarin with a Seville orange. However, some people think the clementine might have actually started in Asia a long, long time ago.
Contents
Growing Clementines
Clementines were first brought to farms in California, USA, in 1914. Farmers discovered something interesting about clementines: they are usually seedless, which is a big reason why people love them! But if clementines are cross-pollinated with other citrus fruits (meaning pollen from another fruit plant gets to the clementine flower), they can end up with seeds.
To keep their clementines seedless, growers in California faced a challenge. In 2006, they even talked about taking legal action against local beekeepers. This was because bees, while important for many plants, could carry pollen from other citrus trees to the clementine groves, causing the clementines to grow seeds. It shows how much care goes into making sure your clementines are perfectly seedless!
Different Kinds of Clementines
There are a few different types, or varieties, of clementines, each with its own special qualities:
The Clemenules (also called Nules) is a very popular type of clementine. It's known for being high-quality, seedless, and easy to peel. It also has a really nice sweet flavor. This variety came from a natural change in a Spanish type of clementine called Fina. Clemenules are grown a lot in Spain, where they are ready to pick from mid-November to late January. They are also widely grown in California, where they are ready from October to December.
Nadorcott Clementines
The Nadorcott is another type of clementine. It's a special kind that has a patent, meaning it's protected by law. This variety is also seedless, but only if it's grown far away from other citrus trees. Compared to the Clemenules, the Nadorcott has a more red-orange color and a thinner peel. Its flavor is a bit different too – it's less sweet and a little more tart or bitter than the Clemenules. The patent for this clementine was first filed in January 1997.
Images for kids
-
Italian cultivar, Clementine del golfo di Taranto
-
Clementine Mural in Puisserguier France, celebrating Father Abram, founder of the Algerian Misserghin orphanage where the 1st citrus clementina was selected
-
Seedless clementine, unpeeled and peeled
s.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Clementina para niños
