In warm climates, adding a pixie mandarin tree (Citrus reticulata Blanco) to the landscape means fragrant flowers in summer and hot fruit. This diminutive citrus tree is compact enough for a little space. In areas that have cold winters, the tree can be grown in a pot in a greenhouse year or put outdoors only during warm weather.
Mature Size
As its name implies, the pixie mandarin tree is small, which makes it perfect for use as a potted plant or to get a backyard area with restricted space. Many citrus trees develop 20 or 30 feet tall, but breeding and grafting practices have contributed to little varieties. The pixie mandarin rises to only 5 to 6 feet tall and has a spread of 4 to 6 feet.
Hardiness Zones
Pixie mandarin and other citrus tree varieties thrive in the mild, frost-free winters and hot summers of this Mediterranean climate. Pixie mandarin grows best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 and 10. In zone 8 and colder zones, the streamlined citrus tree can be grown in a pot outdoors in summer and shot into the home or a greenhouse for winter.
Culture
This citrus tree needs a great deal of sunlight. When intending to plant a pixie mandarin, start looking for a spot that receives a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight per day. Soil drainage is also significant. If the planting area has poor drainage and wet soil, consider creating a raised bed on such website for the tree. If you want to plant the tree in a container, then start using a pot that is only 2 inches larger than the tree nursery pot. As the tree grows, raise its pot size. A high-quality potting soil is a much better option than garden soil for the container.
Fruit
Even though the tree is a dwarf variety, it produces full-size fruits. Still, mandarin oranges are little compared to other kinds of oranges and grapefruits. Their orange, thin skins peel easily. The fruit is orange, too, and has a delicate flavor. Pixie mandarin produces fruit out of winter into early spring. In mild areas, however, the tree can produce fruit into late spring and early summer.