Clementine

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This article is about the fruit. For other uses of the word clementine, see Clementine (disambiguation)

A clementine is the fruit of Citrus reticulata, and was first created by the Algerian priest Pierre Clément in 1902 as a compromise between tangerine and pomerans. It has been proposed that it was "originally an accidental hybrid said to have been discovered by Father Clément Rodier in the garden of his orphanage in Misserghin, Algeria." However, there are claims it originated in China much earlier. [1] In Arabic, it is called "Kalamintina", while in German, it is generally referred to as "Mandarine", that is, as a member of that broader supergroup.

A clementine is an oblate, medium-sized fruit. The exterior is a deep orange colour with a smooth, glossy appearance. Clementines separate easily into eight to twelve extremely juicy segments.

This variety was introduced into California commercial agriculture in 1914, though it was grown at the Citrus Research Center at the University of California, Riverside as early as 1909.Clementines have been available in Europe for many years, but a market for them in the United States was created only a few years ago, when the harsh 1997 winter in Florida devastated domestic orange production, increasing prices and decreasing availability. California clementines are available from mid-November through January; this availability has them referred to in some areas as "Christmas Oranges".

These little mandarins have also caused large headaches for some beekeepers. Large companies such as Paramount Citrus in California have threatened to sue local beekeepers for their bees' trespassings on the land the Clementines are grown on. When bees cross-pollinate the Clementines with another fruit, they lose their seedlessness.

As with all fruit, "clementine" can also refer to the tree.