The 700 Year Old Tangerine

What we call the Satsuma tangerine has been around for over 700 years. Anything that is still being cultivated after that many years just has to have a real appeal to human taste right? And it’s not just Americans who enjoy one of the tangerine’s earliest varieties. Not by a long shot.

These golden fruit like a cool subtropical environment and it probably comes as no surprise that Southern Japan is the largest grower of this fruit. However the Satsuma is a favorite in China and Korea as well. Other countries that produce this gem include Russia along the Black Sea, the southern part of South Africa, Spain, Turkey, parts of South America and on a small scale in Central California and Northern Florida.

Those last two might come as a surprise as the U.S. leads the world or is in the top three producers for a number of citrus fruits. However, the Satsuma being one of the earliest varieties of tangerine, has more seeds than most and the American market is more about convenience than taste. Purists claim that the Satsuma has the deepest and richest tangerine flavor because it has not been bred out of the fruit like so many other varieties have.

The first trees to be sent to the U.S. arrived in 1876 thanks to the wife of a General Van Valkenberg who was the United States Minister to Japan. Apparently they were a hit because shortly after that over a million trees were imported and planted along the Gulf Coast and in Texas. Unfortunately, there were a series of very severe frosts that decimated the trees and they simply have never recovered.

The Satsuma growers that are left consistently deliver excellent quality. Without question these are some of the most delicious tangerines that can be found. They do have one characteristic that is absolutely unique to them. Fruit grown in humid subtropical areas, like Florida, may mature inside before the skin actually turns yellow or gold. This means you can find “green” tangerines that are completely ripe and dripping with that luscious nectar. When this occurs, these tangerines are marketed as Emerald Green.

So where can you find these oldest of the tangerines. For most people it’s going to mean ordering them from a fruit supplier. If you are lucky enough to live in one of the growing areas you can find them in your grocers or at a Farmers’ Market between November and December.

Taste the Sunshine with Hale Groves

At Hale Groves, we believe the best gifts come from the land, not a factory. For generations, our fruit has been grown slowly under the Florida sun, picked at its peak, and delivered fresh to your door. From sweet Navel Oranges to rare Honeybells, every gift shares the simple joy of real flavor—perfect for holidays, milestones, or everyday moments worth celebrating.

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