Difference between Clementine and Tangerine

The main difference between clementine and mandarin is that the skin of clementines is orange-red in color, while the skin of tangerines is bright orange.

Clementine vs. Tangerine

Clementine and mandarin oranges are types of tangerines. A mandarin is a group of various types of citrus that originated in China. Clementine and mandarin oranges appear to be the same size and color. But when you look closely at each type, the differences between them will be apparent.

Clementine is a hesperidium or berry with a leathery rind that contains oil in its cells, of tangerine. The mandarin is an orange fruit with citrus properties. Clementine’s scientific name is Citrus reticulata. The scientific name of the mandarin is Citrus mandarine.

Clementine has an orange-red skin. Tangerines have a bright orange skin. Clementine is a seedless fruit (but loses this characteristic when bees cross pollinate it with some other fruit). Its taste is sweet like honey. The mandarin fruit is comparatively less sweet. It contains seeds (so any cross pollination of this mandarin does not affect this characteristic).

Clementine is the smallest and most commercially popular variety of mandarin. The mandarin is a hybrid of the mandarin that is raised with grapefruit. Clementine has health properties as it relieves you of stress, anxiety and tension. In addition, it is very easy to peel. You don’t really need a knife to peel a variety of clementine mandarin.

People often dry tangerine peel and apply it on the skin for many skin benefits. A small clementine has 35 calories, with 7 grams of sugar and 9 grams of carbohydrates. A small tangerine contains 40 calories, with 7 grams of sugar and 9 grams of carbohydrates.

What is clementine?

Clementine is one of the famous types of mandarin. The mandarin is a group of various types of citrus. It originated in China but then traveled abroad and is now known and appreciated by billions of people. Clementine is a hesperidium of the mandarin variety.

It has a leathery rind that contains oil in its cells, of tangerine. Clementine’s scientific name is Citrus reticulata. Clementine is a seedless fruit. But it loses this characteristic when bees cross pollinate it with some other fruit. The taste of Clementine is sweet like honey and the color of its skin is orange-red.

Clementine is the smallest and most commercially popular variety of mandarin. Clementine has health properties as it relieves you of stress, anxiety and tension. Also, it can be peeled off easily.

Clementines are marketed as beauties or candy in the store. Clementine is believed to be an accidental hybrid discovered by Father Clement Rodier of Algeria. Some people claim that it was grown in China for a long time and that it was identical to a “Canton mandarin” variety. In 1914, the clementine mandarin was introduced to North America. Its cultivation in Spain and Morocco and supplies the European market.

What is mandarin?

The mandarin is one of the other hybrids of the mandarin that is distinguished by its bright orange color. It is an orange fruit with citrus properties. Its scientific name is Citrus mandarina. The mandarin is believed to have originally originated in Southeast Asia.

The mandarin contains seeds, so its cross pollination does not affect this characteristic. The tangerine has a rough and fine skin with a pebble texture that makes it difficult to peel. People often dry the tangerine peel and its powder is applied to the skin for many skin benefits.

The cultivation of mandarins began 3000 years ago in certain parts of Japan and China. The cultivation of mandarins became popular in the western world around the 19th century.

A small tangerine (about 76 grams) has forty calories and eight grams of sugar. Mandarin is also commonly distinguished by having a sour taste. The outer shell or rind of mandarin oranges is very shiny and smooth in appearance. They are usually divided into 8-14 juicy slices.

A small tangerine contains 40 calories, with 7 grams of sugar and 13.34 grams of carbohydrates, 0.31 grams of fat content and 0.81 grams of protein. Tangerine does not taste very sweet. It is spicy and a bit bitter.

Key differences

1. Clementine is a hesperidium with a leathery peel that contains oil in its cells, of mandarin while mandarin is a tangerine with citrus properties.
2. Clementine’s scientific name is Citrus reticulate on the other side, Tangerine’s scientific name is Citrus mandarine.
3. Clementine has a red-orange skin, on the contrary, mandarins have a bright orange skin.
4. Clementine is seedless fruit on the other hand; mandarin contains seeds.
5. The taste of clementine is sweet like honey, on the contrary, the mandarin fruit is comparatively less sweet.
6. A small clementine has 35 calories, with 7 grams of sugar and 9 grams of carbohydrates, while a small tangerine contains 40 calories, with 7 grams of sugar and 9 grams of carbohydrates.
7. Clementine has health properties as it relieves you of stress, anxiety and tension. Also, it can be peeled easily, and the healthful properties of tangerine include drying its peel and applying it to the skin for many skin benefits.
8. Clementines are small and light orange in color with a smooth, thick skin, on the contrary, mandarins are small citrus fruits with a thick, deep orange-red skin.

Final Thought

Clementine and mandarin are the two types of tangerines that appear to be the same but are different from each other based on their properties.