About two weeks ago I was at an organic store and saw they had clementines (kind of unusual here this time of year), so I bought some. At home I started peeling one and I immediately noticed this incredibly aromatic sweet scent coming from the peel's juice, wich sprayed out at the smallest hint of pressure. The flesh's taste was great also, very sweet, and it had many seeds, sometimes 2 in one part.

Now I've eaten clementines before (wich looked exactly the same), but never this sweet and aromatic. After 3 clementines I sorta became addicted to its aroma, much like I'm addicted to the bergamot aroma. I went back to the store to check the origin of these clementines and it turns out they are from Sicily.

So my first question is: is this a special type of clementine or is it just the Sicilian climate or earth that makes these clementines the way they are?

My second question (and the reason I posted this here): will seeds from this clementine produce trees with fruit that have the same powerful aroma as the fruit they came from? I've planted 6 but I'll probably have to wait several years before I can sample fruit.

EDIT: actually now that I've done more research, I think this may be a Sicilian mandarin (possibly Ciaculli). Sicilian clementines are supposedly seedless and very small. These are full of seeds and almost as big as a small orange. Also the clementines are only harvested until februari, while these mandarins are harvested until april, and I bough these just 2 weeks ago.

There have been many different types of Clementine's developed, therefore it would be difficult to know which type you purchased. You would need to locate the actual grower and inquire from him which variety of Clementine he is producing. Unfortunately, Clementine seeds are one of the few citrus seeds that do not produce true from seed. By planting one of the seeds, you would get a cross between the Clementine that you ate and what ever type of citrus that pollinated the original flower. - Millet (1,368-)

Hi Millet. I was updating my post while you replied. This may be a mandarin actually.

Clementines and Satsumas are all grouped under Mandarins. So a clementine is a mandarin but not all mandarins are clementines. Sometimes, the term mandarin is almost meaningless except that it encompasses those fruit sizes between kumquat and orange.

If the seedlings come up polyembryonic then they should produce true to type. Clementines do not. However, Yuzu are supposed to be mono and many of mine are coming up poly.

I got some seeds that are suppose to be from one of your (JoeReal) Yuzu fruit and they are coming up poly. I thought I would get a hybrid because you have so many citruses on one plant.

I've planted 6 of the seeds and so far 2 have emerged. Both have 2 sprouts, so I guess that means they are polyembrionic and mandarines after all? I just took a picture:

Here's a new picture of the seedlings. There's a dent at the tip of every leaf, wich I've never seen before, is this typical for mandarines?

The dent is caused by a shortage of calcium. The dent is not particular to this variety, but happens in all citrus varieties. It is normally refered to as being "heart shaped". - Millet (1,336-)

Should I do something about it, maybe give them tap water? I normally give them rainwater.

Rain water for the most part is pure. If you use rain water, then you must supply all of the 13 required nutrients needed by citrus. If your tap water contains a good level of calcium then you can irrigate with it. Or you can occasionally feed with a water soluble source of calcium such as calcium nitrate. - Millet - (1,335-)

I planted some Mexican lime and Florida Honey Murcott mandarine seeds about 4-5 months ago. The mandarine seedlings looked exactly like your seedlings and have the same dent at the end of leaves. The dent at the tip of each new leaf is smaller than the dent at the tip of older leaves. The dent is now barely noticeable on the newest leaves. The Mexican lime seedlings have never had this dent even though the growing conditions for the limes and mandarines have been identical.

Now that many people are using sterile artificial mediums, and irrigating with pure water, or low calcium city water, the leaf dent is showing up more then in the "old" days. - Millet (1,333=)