'Changsha' Mandarin

Changsha Mandarin is an old Chinese mandarin prized for its unusual combination of cold hardiness and sweet, flavourful fruit. Considered one of the hardiest true mandarins, it produces small to medium, easy-peeling orange fruit with juicy, very sweet and aromatic flesh. The fruit can be quite seedy, but its excellent flavour and ability to tolerate colder conditions make it particularly valuable for gardeners pushing the limits of citrus cultivation. Fruit ripens relatively early in the citrus season, an advantage in cooler climates.

Native to southern China, the evergreen trees are vigorous and productive, with fragrant white spring flowers and attractive glossy foliage. Changsha is self-fertile and can produce abundant crops from a single tree, although it has a tendency towards alternate bearing - a heavy crop one year followed by a lighter crop the next.

Changsha is one of the most cold-hardy true mandarins, with established, fully dormant trees reported to tolerate temperatures around -12°C (10°F) under favourable conditions, although young trees and container-grown plants require more protection.

Common names: Changsha Mandarin, Changsha Tangerine 

Edible: Fruit
Harvest timing: Early-season (October-November)

Scientific name: Citrus reticulata 'Changsha'
Light requirements: Full sun 
Full-grown size: 10-15' tall x 10-15' wide, though smaller with pruning or in containers
Hardiness: Zone 8b 
Pollination: Self-fertile
Wildlife: Flowers attract bees and other pollinators. 
Origin: Species is native to southern China.
Noteworthy: One of the most cold hardy mandarins, with excellent fruit.