The clementine is a citrus fruit that is part of the mandarin family, a species born from the grafting of mandarins and oranges. In particular, it comes from the cross between the bitter orange and the mandarin.
It is a relatively recent species, developed in the early decades of the 1900s, originally from China but now cultivated throughout the world. In Italy, Calabria is a leader in the production of these fruits, protected by the PGI brand.
The thin skin, the juicy pulp, which is easily divided into segments, and the very few seeds, make it particularly convenient to eat. The very balanced taste between sweet and sour makes it a particularly appealing fruit for consumers, one of the best-selling after oranges.
The clementine ripens exclusively on the plant, so we can find it from November until spring.