
Gold Nugget is a top choice for flavor if you can find that specific variety. The sweetest and best tasting mandarins rely slightly on the variety but mostly on how long they were left to ripen on the tree. Kishu mandarins are about the size of a walnut, and other than their size, they are similar to other mandarins. However, they are the most common mandarin used for the canned mandarins you buy at the grocery store. Satsuma are much less durable than other mandarins, making them harder to ship and thus harder to find.

Mandarins are a type of orange that have slightly flat ends, thinner skin, and often sweeter flavor. While 'tangerine' originally referred to a specific variety, it is now used interchangeable with the term 'mandarin.' Types of mandarins The difference between mandarins, tangerines, clementines, and satsumas VarietiesĬlementines, tangerines, satsumas, tangelos, and halos are all different types of Mandarins. See what else is in season at the same time: January, February, March, April, November, and December. For the rest of us, we have to hope we buy a good batch at the store.

If you live in an area that grows them, it's worth seeking out at a farmers market. Like other citrus, mandarins don't get sweeter after they are picked. Fresh Satsuma can show up in October if they are grown near you, but they aren't often shipped long distances due to their fragility.


Mandarins are in season during the cooler months, from roughly November through April. The most convenient snacking citrus tastes a whole lot better when you get them in-season and when they've had more time to ripen on the tree.
