Wholesale citrus

Fremont mandarin

Citrus reticulata ‘Fremont’

Also known as Freemont

A clementine and Ponkan cross with bright red-orange, rich-flavored fruit that peels easily. It tends to crop heavily one year and lightly the next, so thin a heavy set.

EdibleEasy peelEarly seasonRich flavor

Check the current program →

Landscape layersLower canopy

Mature size

Usually 10–20 ft tall and wide; rootstock and pruning change final size

Climate fit

Urban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b

Special categories

EDIBLE

Winter chill

None

Typical harvest

November through January

Before you plant

These conditions determine whether it will thrive.

Required microclimate

Placement is part of the growing system.

Zone B — sun morning and afternoon on the open south-facing side. Tough enough for full exposure and more productive for the extra hours.

Cold hardiness

Cover while young

Like most mandarins, the wood holds into the low 20s, but the fruit freezes after a few hours at 26°F. Cover young trees their first two or three winters, and cover fruiting trees on hard freeze nights.

Leaves and wood: damaged below 22°F · Blossoms and fruit: below 26°F

Heat tolerance

Shade from late-afternoon sun

Recommended for the Arizona desert, but its upright canopy doesn't shade the fruit well, so some fruit sunburns. Avoid full west sun or plant where it gets afternoon shade.

Sources:

citrusvariety.ucr.edu , ucanr.edu

Right plant, right place

Will Fremont mandarin grow at your Arizona property?

Plant in fast-draining soil with the graft union above grade. Keep mulch away from the trunk and avoid lawn irrigation at the root crown.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.

Light

Sun exposure

Full sun; young trunks and exposed scaffold limbs need sunburn protection

Water

Irrigation

Deep, regular irrigation with drying between cycles; expand the wetted zone as the canopy grows

Fruit set

Pollination

Self-fruitful

Harvest

How to use it

Fresh eating and juice

Planting & stewardship

How to help Fremont mandarin thrive

1
Verify both the named cultivar and rootstock on the nursery tag before planting.
2
Whitewash newly exposed bark and protect cold-sensitive trees during hard freezes.
3
Feed in several light applications during the active season rather than one heavy dose.
4
Let fruit color and flavor—not a calendar date alone—confirm harvest readiness.

Read the horticultural reference ↗