{"product_id":"citrus-deliciosa-thorny-mandarin","title":"Citrus deliciosa – Thorny Mandarin","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCitrus deliciosa\u003c\/em\u003e is the Mediterranean mandarin, also known as the Willowleaf mandarin and one of the oldest thorny mandarin types in cultivation. It is an evergreen with narrow willowy leaves on slender arching branches, small thorns along the young wood, and heavy crops of small, deep orange fruit with an intense fragrance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGive it full sun and free draining soil. It suits warm temperate and Mediterranean districts, from Sydney and the Central Coast through Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula to Adelaide and the Riverland. Young trees are frost sensitive and need shelter through their first two winters. Growth is moderate, and the tree is self-fertile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMature trees hold at 3 to 4 metres tall and 2 to 3 metres wide, which suits courtyards, edible gardens, orchard rows and large pots on a warm terrace. The drooping habit reads well beside a path or at the corner of a lawn. Fruit ripens through winter, when little else is cropping.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin:44px 0 16px;\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:14px;font-weight:500;letter-spacing:1.5px;margin:0 0 8px;padding-top:32px;border-top:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);text-transform:uppercase;color:currentColor;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 24px;color:currentColor;opacity:0.65;font-size:14px;font-style:italic;\"\u003eAbout Citrus deliciosa\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eWhat is Citrus deliciosa?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eCitrus deliciosa is the Mediterranean mandarin, also called the Willowleaf mandarin. It is one of the oldest mandarin types still grown, and it carries small thorns on the young wood, which is where the name thorny mandarin comes from. The leaves are narrow and willow like, and the small orange fruit is highly fragrant.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow big does Citrus deliciosa grow?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eExpect 3 to 4 metres tall and 2 to 3 metres wide at maturity in the ground. The habit is willowy and slightly drooping rather than upright, so allow room for the branches to arch out. Regular light pruning after harvest holds a tree closer to 2.5 metres where space is tight.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eWhen does the fruit ripen?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eFruit colours and sweetens through winter, roughly June to August in most southern districts and a little earlier in warmer coastal areas. The white flowers appear in spring and are strongly scented. Leave the fruit on the tree until it is fully coloured, because mandarins do not continue to ripen once picked.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eIs Citrus deliciosa frost tolerant?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eNot while it is young. Treat it as frost sensitive for the first two winters and give it a warm wall, a north facing aspect or temporary cover in districts that get regular frost. Established trees handle light frost, but heavy or repeated frost will burn the foliage and damage developing fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eWhy is it called the thorny mandarin?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eThe young wood carries short, sharp spines, a trait common in older mandarin selections that has been bred out of most modern varieties. The thorns soften as the branches mature. Wear gloves when pruning or harvesting, and thin the interior in late winter so you are not reaching through spiny growth.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eWhere does Citrus deliciosa grow best in Australia?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eIt does well anywhere citrus is reliable: Sydney and the Central Coast, coastal and inland New South Wales, Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula, Adelaide and the Riverland, and subtropical Queensland. Warm summers ripen the fruit and build sugar. Avoid cold, wet, poorly drained sites and heavy shade, which both reduce cropping.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow do I care for Citrus deliciosa?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eWater deeply once or twice a week through the warm months and keep the root zone mulched, with the mulch pulled clear of the trunk. Feed with a citrus fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer. Prune lightly after harvest to keep the centre open. Watch for gall wasp and scale.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Evergreen Trees Direct","offers":[{"title":"100L","offer_id":46911666356423,"sku":"CITDEL100L","price":1570.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/4945\/4279\/files\/Citrus-MandarinThornyCitrusdeliciosa100L.png?v=1785214386","url":"https:\/\/www.evergreentrees.com.au\/products\/citrus-deliciosa-thorny-mandarin","provider":"Evergreen Trees Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}