Tangerine trees are great to grow because they produce fruit with excellent taste. There are many citruses that you can grow and tangerine is a good choice. Many people want to grow this tree and if you also want to grow it here is some information about this tree.
Tangerine Tree
Are Tangerine Trees Self Pollinating?
Yes, most tangerine tree varieties are self-pollinating. The tree will grow flowers and those flowers will turn into fruits once they are pollinated. Tangerine trees will grow flowers when they are 2-3 years old. But in some cases, it can take longer than that.
Even if tangerine trees are self-pollinating, pollinators like bees can still help to increase the number of pollinated flowers. If you are growing tangerine trees in a pot you can bring them outdoors so that they can be benefited from bees.
There are some tangerine varieties that are hybrid and they need another tree to pollinate the flowers. Cross-pollination with other compatible citrus trees is needed for these kinds of a tangerine so that the tree will be able to grow fruits.
Are Tangerine Trees Deciduous Or Evergreen?
Tangerine trees are evergreen. The leaves of this tree stay on the tree throughout the season. Unlike those deciduous trees that lose leaves, tangerine trees don’t.
But if ever this tree drops a lot of leaves, there might be a cause that leads to this problem. You need to analyze and see if the watering issue causes it to happen or look for pests that might be damaging the tree leaves.
Even if tangerines are evergreen, they can drop leaves when extremely cold comes. In order to prevent it, you can move your potted tangerine trees indoors, especially in the winter.
Are Tangerine Trees Grafted?
Yes, most of the tangerine trees and other citruses sold at the nurseries or garden centers are grafted. The rootstock of those trees is different from the scion. Some of the rootstock used in grafting tangerine trees are sour orange, sweet orange, trifoliate orange, etc.
The grafting method is a good way of growing tangerine trees because it improves the tree to become more pests and disease tolerant, and it improves the tree’s cold tolerance.
You can also graft your tangerine trees to increase the trees you have. Instead of buying another one, why not try grafting a tangerine tree?
How Big Are Tangerine Trees?
Tangerine trees are growing around 10 to 15 feet (3-4.5 m) tall for standard varieties while dwarf tangerine trees are growing around 6-8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 m).
The size of the tree can also grow much taller than that. There are some tangerine trees that grow around 20+ feet especially when they are planted outdoors.
The tangerine trees can grow taller but they can be kept small by pruning them regularly. Also, their height can increase especially when they are getting their needs met regularly.
Do Tangerine Trees Have Thorns?
Yes, tangerine trees have thorns but some varieties are thornless. Thorns are commonly growing on citrus trees. It is part of their growth and you cannot stop them from growing.
Thorns are somewhat helpful to tangerine trees especially when they are planted outdoors. Some animals keep away from trees that have spikes because they can hurt them.
You can prune those thorns but if the thorns are not making it difficult for you to harvest tangerines then you can just leave them growing on the tree.
When Do Tangerine Trees Bloom?
The tangerine trees will start blooming when they are 2-3 years old but sometimes it can take a little bit longer. The blooms will grow on the tree in late winter or early spring.
The blooms of tangerine trees are fragrant and white in color. Those blooms will continue to grow until they become fruits.
It will take a few weeks for it to happen and will take months for the fruits to ripen. Some of the flowers will become fruits while other flowers will drop.
How Long Does A Tangerine Tree Take To Grow?
A tangerine tree will take a few years to grow and produce fruits. The tree can bear fruit when it is 2-3 years old, sometimes it takes longer and the fruits appear in year 4.
When the tangerine fruits are on the tree, there are still chances that some of them will not grow and mature. Some fruits drop prematurely which is common, especially for citruses.
Some fruits will mature and ripen but you can still get plenty of tangerines when harvesting comes. If you want to increase the fruit yield focus more on pollinating the flowers by doing hand pollination.
If you have a dwarf tangerine tree you must do fruit thinning to prevent damage to its branches caused by too many heavy fruits growing on the tree.
Do You Need Two Tangerine Trees To Produce Fruit?
No, most tangerine tree varieties are self-fertile and they can grow fruits without cross-pollination. Because of that, the tree can grow fruits and the tree can grow more with the help of wind, bees, or even hand pollination.
But there are also tangerine trees that are self-sterile and these kinds of trees need cross-pollination. If you have this kind of tangerine tree you need to grow another citruses tree to cross-pollinate with tangerine.
Cross-pollination is the way for the self-sterile tangerine trees to grow fruits. You can harvest more fruits when you have two citrus trees.
Do Tangerine Trees Produce Fruit Every Year?
Yes, tangerine trees can produce fruits every year. But if in case it doesn’t grow fruits every year some factors can affect them to produce fruits like the weather.
Tangerine trees are cold-hardy but extreme cold is not good for the tree which can lead them to not grow fruits. As long as the trees are getting their needs regularly and they are growing well they can grow fruits.
Can You Grow A Tangerine Tree From A Cutting?
Yes, you can grow a tangerine tree from a cutting. Get a cutting from the tree and the cutting must be green in color. Get many cuttings because some cuttings may not grow and remove the leaves on them.
Get a container and fill it with soil. Then you need to use a rooting hormone to help the cuttings grow roots. It will be harder for the cuttings to root when you will not use rooting hormone.
Dip the cuttings in the rooting hormone for a few seconds and after that plant them in the soil. The cuttings will grow roots in a few weeks around 3-4 weeks. Sometimes it can take much longer. Once the cuttings grow roots and grow more leaves you can transfer them to bigger containers.
Can You Grow A Tangerine Tree From A Seed?
Yes, you can grow a tangerine tree from a seed. Growing a tangerine tree from seed is possible but the tree may not grow the same as the parent tree and there is a possibility that it will not grow flowers and fruits.
The tangerine fruits that you can buy at the market commonly come from hybrid trees which have not true-to-type seeds. When the seeds are not true to type the tree will grow differently from the parent tree.
Another thing is most of the citruses like tangerine are being grown from cuttings or through grafting because the tree bears fruits faster unlike growing them from seeds which take years to fruit. If you just want to do some fun experiments then you may grow a tangerine tree from a seed.
Can You Grow A Tangerine Tree In A Pot Indoors?
Yes, you can grow a tangerine tree in a pot and place them indoors. But you can only do this for dwarf tangerine tree varieties because standard trees are growing big and pots are too small for them to grow.
When you are having limited space you can somewhat grow tangerine trees in pots. You can place tangerine trees indoors as long as they are getting enough sunlight.
One of the best spots is near the window because commonly it is an area where sunlight is available for longer hours. Make sure your trees are getting enough sunlight at least 6 hours per day.
Are Tangerine Trees Hard To Grow?
Tangerine trees are not hard to grow as long as they get enough sunlight, water, and nutrients. If in your location there is a lack of sunlight for at least 6 hours per day, then it will be a little bit difficult to grow tangerine.
Sun helps tangerines to make their food and it is essential for them to get enough sunlight per day. Also, gives them enough water and nutrients to improve their growth. This will make them grow faster and increase flowers and fruits.
Tangerine trees are somewhat cold-hardy but extreme cold can affect their growth. Move your potted tangerine trees indoors and cover them with tarps or blank for those tangerine trees planted outdoors when the weather becomes colder.
Do Tangerine Trees Need A Lot Of Water?
Young tangerine trees need water more often because water helps them become established. You can water the trees every few days while those already mature tangerine trees can be watered once a week or once every two weeks.
You also need to check the soil moisture before watering to know if the tree needs water and also by checking the soil moisture you can prevent overwatering.
When rainfall is available you don’t need to water your tree. During summer the weather becomes hot and you need to water your tree more often to keep them hydrated. You can water them in the morning or late in the afternoon.
How Long Do Tangerine Trees Live?
Tangerine trees can live up to 50 years or more. The lifespan of this tree is long enough for you to harvest many fruits. With consistent care and giving the tree their needs, they will stay healthy.
The tangerine trees can live longer when they are not suffering much stress. There are problems that sometimes can happen like overwatering, over-fertilizing, and other stuff and if those things are prevented it can make the tangerine trees in good shape.
If you want to have more fruits coming from this tree you can propagate it through cutting or grafting in that way when the tree stops fruiting or growing you can still get fruits from those newly grown tangerine trees.
Some of The Problems Of Tangerine Trees
Why Are My Tangerine Tree Leaves Turning Yellow?
When the tangerine tree leaves are turning yellow it can be due to iron or nitrogen deficiency or due to overwatering. Iron and nitrogen are important to keep the leaves green and it is needed by the leaves to make food.
The iron and nitrogen improve the chlorophyll in the leaves and without it, the leaves will become yellow. You can add fertilizer to the soil with those nutrients to keep the leaves on tangerine green.
Also, overwatering can also happen and it can also cause the leaves of the tangerine tree to turn yellow. Always, check the soil moisture to prevent overwatering your tree.
Why Is My Tangerine Tree Losing Leaves?
When the tangerine tree is losing leaves, there are many possible reasons why it happens. Weather changes can affect the tree growth and it can stress the tree which leads to the leaves dropping.
Another reason is transplant shock. Trees are prone to shock compared to plants and you need to be careful in moving your tangerine trees to a new pot or new environment. When transplanting is successful, tangerine will grow well.
Pests can also affect the tree and cause leaves to drop. When pests are attacking your tree you need to control them. You can use pesticides or some organic control like neem oil, horticultural oil, or insecticidal soap.
Why Are My Tangerine Tree Leaves Curling?
When tangerine tree leaves are curling you need to give enough water to the tree. Drought stress is one of the factors why there are curling leaves on the tangerine tree.
You need to give the tree adequate water to improve its growth and keep the leaves healthy. During summer you need to increase the amount of water you give to the tree because when the weather is hot the soil dries quicker and when lacking water the leaves can curl.
Also, those potted tangerine trees need water more often because the soil in the pot dries faster than ground soil. By watering the tree with adequate water you can prevent curling leaves on your tangerine trees and other plants you have.
Why Is My Tangerine Tree Not Flowering or Fruiting?
Young tangerine trees will not flower and fruit. You need to wait for your tangerine tree to mature before they give you fruits. The tree can bear fruits when they are 2-3 years old. Sometimes it can take up to 5 years before the flowers and fruits appear on the tree.
Also, improve the soil quality by applying fertilizer to encourage them to flower and fruit. The flowers can appear on the tree in the late winter or early spring so just wait and those fragrant and white flowers will grow on the tree. And the fruits will grow the next.
