A Hybrid That’s Sweet and Mild
The Pixie Mandarin, also referred to as Pixie Tangerine is the result of a cross-pollination between King and Dancy.
If you enjoy the flavor of juicy oranges, but don’t care for the sweet-tart taste that can make you pucker, you’ll like the Pixie. They have a mild, yet sugary-sweet flavor that you won’t get with other mandarins.
Like most mandarins, Pixies are small, but these are packed with many advantages.
Easy to Peel and Seedless
Grow your own Pixies and share with your friends and neighbors. One unique quality is that they’re exceptionally easy to peel.
Toss a couple to the kiddos and they can peel their own with ease! Plus, there are no seeds which means less mess.
An Affordable Way to Stay Healthy and Look Younger
Pixie tangerines are packed with Vitamin C, which offers many health and beauty benefits.
Vitamin C is known to boost the immune system, and treat the common cold in addition to aiding in lowering hyper tension, treating cancer and combating stroke.
Your own Pixie tree can produce fruit that helps you maintain a healthy youthful appearance. The high level of Vitamin C in this fruit will stimulate cell growth from the inside out, and improve elasticity of the skin. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that Vitamin C intake reduces the appearance of wrinkles, and dryness of the skin.
You Can Grow this Tree No Matter Where You Live
You don’t have to reside in a tropical climate to enjoy the beauty and delicious fruit from the Pixie tree.
Pixie mandarins grow best outdoors in Zones 9 and 10, but they do well indoors, grown in containers in cooler zones. Because they’re a dwarf variety, they don’t take up much space.
They have something to offer year-round. You’ll enjoy its fragrant dark green leathery leaves and flowers in the summer. The deep orange, juicy fruit is yours to relish in winter months.
Late Blooming
Your Pixies will bloom from March through June; maturing in late winter. The fruit stays on the tree until early spring in most zones, although in zones 9 and 10, can hang on until early summer.
Planting & Care
When planting outdoors, you’ll need a location that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. Pixies require well drained, fertile soil. If the drainage is poor in the area where you wish to plant, you should create a raised bed.
Dig your hole and add plenty of compost to the soil that will go back in to cover the roots. Fill the hole with water and make sure the water drains fully before placing the tree and backfilling.
If you’re growing your Pixie in a container inside, it will also need plenty of sunlight so be sure to place the container in front of a window. You’ll want to start off with a pot that is 2” larger than your tree’s roots, and one that allows it to drain well. You can move to a larger container as your plant grows.
