Pixie mandarin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pixie |
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|---|---|
| Hybrid parentage | One parent is a Cam sành (King orange) and Dancy hybrid, the other unknown |
| Cultivar | Pixie |
| Origin | California |
The Pixie mandarin, also known as the Pixie tangerine, is a special type of mandarin orange. Its scientific name is Citrus reticulata Blanco. Pixie mandarins are loved because they are seedless and ripen later in the season. This means you can enjoy them when other mandarins are no longer available.
How the Pixie Mandarin Was Created
The Pixie mandarin was developed by plant scientists in California. The process started way back in 1927 at the University of California, Riverside Citrus Research Center. A scientist named Howard Brett Frost began the work.
The First Step: Kincy
Dr. Frost wanted to create a new mandarin that had the best qualities of two other types: the King orange and the Dancy mandarin. He wanted the King's late ripening time and the Dancy's rich flavor. When he crossed these two, the result was a new fruit called 'Kincy'. Kincy mandarins were large, but they had a lot of seeds.
The Birth of Pixie
The Pixie mandarin came from a seed of the Kincy mandarin. This seed grew into a new tree without human help, meaning it was "open pollinated." Scientists are not sure what the other parent of the Pixie was. However, Dr. Frost's colleagues, James W. Cameron and Robert K. Soost, continued his work. They officially released the Pixie mandarin to the public in 1965. This made the delicious, seedless Pixie mandarin available for everyone to enjoy!
