Mandarins and clementines are two fruit that expect very alike to oranges , but are smaller in size .

There are lot of modest , round , and orange citrus yield uncommitted , and it can be hard to tell the conflict between them if you do n’t know what you ’re looking for .

What ’s a Mandarin Chinese ? What ’s a clementine ? And are either of these the same thing as those bag of Cuties or Halos you see in the grocery store ? ( Yes , actually — those adorable little orangeness sell under the Cuties and Halos brand names are clementines . )

Ripe fruits hanging off a mandarin tree

But while mandarins and clementines have many similarity , you might be surprised by what make them dissimilar . Read on !

Types of orange citrus fruits

The way we typically apply the condition “ orangish ” pertain to the declamatory , round , sweet fruit we sleep together and have it away , but botanically mouth , an Orange River is the fruit of various citrus specie in the syndicate Rutaceae . There are many unlike case of orange citrous fruit fruit , so let ’s take a look at the main one below .

Mandarins vs. clementines

Did you notice anything interesting about the list above ?

Mandarins are the ancestor of the group , while clementines , tangerine , satsumas , and even your everyday oranges are all part of the mandarin family .

So all clementine are Mandarin Chinese , but not all mandarin are clementines .

A basket of fresh-picked mandarins

Mandarins are thought to have originated in China , and wild Beijing dialect can still be encounter today in the Nanling Mountains of Southern China .

The botanic name for the mandarin isCitrus reticulata . In Latin , reticulata mean “ webby ” and the name stems from the net - like interlaced pattern made by the pith ( the spongy snowy portion between the material body and the rind ) .

The clementine(Citrus × clementina)is a humble and seedless variety of mandarin that was cultivated by Clément Rodier , a Gallic missionary in Algeria ( for whom the yield was refer ) . It ’s really a cross of a Mediterranean willowleaf mandarin orange(C.   ×   deliciosa)and a sweet orange(C. × sinensis ) .

Close-up of mandarins with their smooth, glossy skins

Now , if you remember that a sweet orange is actually a mandarin - pomelo hybrid , that means the clementine is a loan-blend of a loan-blend ! ( A shade perplexing , I know . )

Appearance

mandarin and clementines both have smooth , glossy skins with a deep Orange River colour . They have a round , slimly flattened shape and are smaller than oranges , though clementine tend to be a little little of the two .

Both fruits have thin , loose skins that are easy to flake in one piece , make them very popular with Thomas Kid and as on - the - go snack . They also tend to separate into segments more easily than an orange .

Texture and taste

mandarin get along in both sown and seedless change , but clementines are always seedless ( or practically seedless ) .

Both of these citrus fruits are perfumed and juicy , with less blistering than orange . Clementines are normally a chip sweet than other types of mandarins .

Nutrition

Small but powerful , mandarin orange tree and clementines have very like nutritionary profiles that pack an telling health punch .

Both fruit are full-bodied in vitamin C , though clementine tree arrest slightly high amounts . A exclusive clementine provides up to 60 percent of the casual recommended aspiration of vitamin C , while a mandarin supply about a third .

The fruit are also effective sources of folate , potassium , fiber , and antioxidant , and are known to strengthen the immune organisation and further intestine wellness . Even their flowers have benefit : Orange River flush can be steeped in hot water to make a healingorange blossom teathat help in digestion , quietus , and anxiousness .

Clementine tree loaded with fruits

While it ’s gruelling to quantify whether mandarin orange tree — or clementine tree — have more vitamin and mineral than the other , it ’s safe to say both of these fruit are good to your diet .

Whole clementines placed next to a peeled and separated clementine on a wooden surface