Clementines and Mandarin oranges are both from the Mandarin family.
Clementines and Mandarins are varieties of citrus reticulata oranges from the rutaceae family. They are both small oranges with loose skin. However, there are some notable differences between the two. While clementines are in the same family as mandarins, clementines do not have seeds and mandarin oranges do. Clementine oranges are also sweeter than mandarin oranges.
Size
Both mandarin oranges and clementines are small in size. Clementines tend to be a bit smaller than mandarins, however, due in part to their seedless nature. According to TheFruitPages.com, the mandarin gained its name when officials in the Mandarin Chinese government developed an affection for them many years ago.
Season
According to Produce Pete's, a fruit collective, mandarin oranges are in their best season in the fall, while clementines have a little shorter season, being ripest and most flavorful in the late fall and early winter. Mandarin oranges originate from the Far East and have been cultivated since around 2,000 B.C. Fresh mandarins have emerald green rinds and deep orange insides when in season. Clementines are believed to have originated in Asia and migrated to the Mediterranean, and in particular, Spain, where they are now harvested. The soil and climate of Spain give clementines their distinctive sweetness. Nearly 200,000 acres of land in Spain is dedicated to the farming of clementines, which were first introduced to the United States in 1982.
Flavor
According to Produce Pete's, clementines are the smallest orange in the mandarin family. Clementines are imported from Spain, Morocco and other parts of North Africa and are a hybrid creation of a sweet orange and a Chinese mandarin. As a result of this blending, clementines are generally very similar in appearance to mandarins but not in taste; clementines are much sweeter than mandarins. While many people may think of clementines as a variety of tangerine, they are not, as tangerines have a much different, tangier flavor that is more tart in nature. The small size of the clementine, its lack of seeds and its exceptional sweetness make the clementine a particularly popular orange for young children.
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