Re: navel oranges??

[Pat Meadows]

I know this is all subject, but am I the only one having trouble

>purchasing small naval oranges? Several months ago I could buy small >naval oranges in bags, all the time. But since then, no joy. I'm not >sure but in the past, I think, I could always buy navel oranges, >anytime. Do you know if something has changed? Location here is >South Texas, thanks in advance, C. L. 73

If you mean the very small mandarins, in the northeastern USA, we've only been able to purchase them around December-February.

Sometimes they're called 'satsumas', sometimes 'mandarins', sometimes other things. I think they're called 'clementines' too.

Pat

[Elizabeth]

Navel oranges in the US are usually harvested by May or June. Imported from southern hemisphere growers, navels can be found, sometimes at a premium. New crops should start coming in around Nov - Dec from California and Florida. Right now they are mostly picking Valencias.

[Repeating Decimal]

in article [e-mail], [e-mail] at [e-mail] wrote on 8/27/03 10:37 PM:

The season for local navel oranges has been over for almost two months. All the vendors at the Farmers' markets around here (S California) are pushing Valencias.

Bill

[Rona Yuthasastrakosol]

I would agree with the latter statement, but not necessarily with the former. AFAIK, tangerines are also a variety of mandarin. See

.

rona

[Elizabeth]

Bill is correct. Mandarin and tangerine are both common names for Citrus reticulata. 'Satsuma' and 'Clementine' are varietal names of C. reticulata.

[Repeating Decimal]

in article [e-mail], Pat Meadows at [e-mail] wrote on 8/28/03 10:41 AM:

It is also misleading; maybe accidentally on purpose. As far as I am concerned, the satsuma mandarin is the best citrus there is. I think other varieties have been pushed on me as satsuma. The problem with them is that their season is very short.

Bill

[Monique Reed]

And none of the currently available mandarins/tangerines/clementines tastes at all like the tart tangerines we got as children. Too many generations of breeding with sweet oranges has ruined the tangerine. A tangerine Jelly Belly tastes more like a tangerine than a tangerine does anymore.

Harrumph! M>

[Repeating Decimal]

in article [e-mail], Monique Reed at [e-mail] wrote on 8/28/03 12:22 PM:

I like my mandarins sweet and tart. There is no reason why that cannot be.

Bill