Peeling Back the Layers: Top 8 Juicy and Surprising Fun Facts About Tangerines

1. Frost-Resistant Fruits

When life gives you lemons, make sure you're wearing a winter coat because you're probably experiencing tangerines instead! These frost-resistant fruits have a chilling advantage over their citrus comrades: tangerines can handle temperatures as low as low 20s without significant wood damage, leaving lemons and limes shivering in their imaginary boots.
Source => aggie-hort.tamu.edu

2. Major Atway's Moroccan Marmalades

In a twist of citrus-soaked fate, tangerines owe their humble beginnings to a Major Atway, who unwittingly named them after a Moroccan city famous for its aromatic marmalades and mispronunciations: Tangerines were cultivated in the Americas by Major Atway, who imported them from Tangier, Morocco, giving them their name - and they pack a powerful punch with up to 32% of your Daily Value of vitamin C in just one serving.
Source => gbif.org

Did you know that oranges were once a luxury item, exclusive to royalty? Discover how these Vitamin C powerhouses became the popular fruit we know today.

=> Fun Facts about Oranges

3. Honey Boo Boo of Citrus

If tangerines had their own version of the toddler beauty pageant scene – yes, think Honey Boo Boo of the citrus world – all eyes would be on the starlet known as the Murcott Honey Tangerine: a juicy, Florida-reared fruit with unknown paternity, first produced in 1913 and named after its proud foster daddy, Charles Murcott Smith. Thanks to Charles' nurturing, this bodacious tangor became the citrus sensation that’s still making Florida's citrus-y dreams come true today.
Source => minnetonkaorchards.com

4. Pranksters and Oil Virtuosos

Tangerines: the helpful pranksters of the citrus world, always showing up to the party pre-peeled and armed with irresistible sweetness! These mischief-makers also moonlight as essential oil virtuosos, packing a punch of vitamin C and beta-carotene for skin health and immune-boosting prowess, all while seducing the aromatherapy and fragrance industry with their aromatic allure.
Source => naturesgardencandles.com

5. Mandarin Costume Party

Before oranges donned their Halloween costumes and became the tangerine craze: These vibrant-hued mandarins, initially cultivated in northeast India 3,000 years ago, jingled all the way from China to England in 1805, sporting the name "mandarin" inspired by the color of Chinese officials' robes, and eventually earned the title "tangerine" after being shipped to the US via the Moroccan port city of Tangier in the late 1800s.
Source => harvesttotable.com

6. Orange Lucky Charms

Forget fortune cookies and say hello to the lucky charms of the citrus world: Minneola tangerines are believed to bring good luck during Lunar New Year celebrations in China, with their bright orange peels symbolizing happiness and wealth, making them a popular gift exchanged during the holiday and often found in decorative bags and displayed in homes for that extra dose of prosperity.
Source => johnvenaproduce.com

7. Phlegm-Fighting Tangerine Peels

Tangerines: not just for your fruit bowl, but an essential part of your personal phlegm-fighting arsenal! By transforming these squishy orange fellows into dried peel superheroes, you've got yourself a centuries-old sidekick to help kick coughs where it hurts: Aged dried tangerine peels, sun-dried and stored for at least three years, release an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance called flavonoids, highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine for their cough-relieving and phlegm-combatting properties. These powerful peels get even more potent with age and carry price tags just as golden as their medicinal magic.
Source => guide.michelin.com

8. Catwalk Queens: Satsuma Mandarins

Peeling away the competition, Satsuma Mandarins have sashayed their way atop the citrus orange catwalk, clad in their flouncy lightweight orange capes and sweet, seedless smiles: Hailing from Japan with more than 700 years of expertise, these delicate fruits become a rare treasure in markets but fear not – S & J Mandarin Grove offers certified organic Owari Satsuma Mandarins, renowned for their delectable taste and easy-to-peel character.
Source => sandjmandarins.com