Anyone have this one that CCPP is offering? Seems like a good one as it is seedless and early. I have tried Nova and it is one of the best mandarins IMHO.

USDA 88-2 is a cross between Lee and Nova mandarins. It was developed at the United States Department of Agriculture Station in Orlando, Florida, and has since been evaluated for commercial potential. It is a moderately large tree at maturity. 88-2 is an early season mandarin with small to medium size fruit. The fruit is easy to peel, seedless, and very juicy. The rind is a medium orange color and thin. The flavor is rich and sweet.

3/11/2008, Mikael Roose and Tim Williams: seedless under all conditons, low probability of causing seeds in other mandarins, early season maturity (November), high brix (13% in November, 15-16% in late December) and very rich, distinctive flavor, pale rind color, mean fruit size 24, round shape (not flattened) with tendency toward a blossom end nipple. Moderately easy to peel. Good holding ability on tree through February. Moderate production with tendency to alternate bear.

Availability: Commercially available in California through the Citrus Clonal Protection Program.

http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/88-2.html

Who knows the cold hardiness?

I just ordered some of these. Does anyone know the cold hardiness? Anyone had any experience with them?

Both parents are relatively hardy so I would assume they are as well.

Sounds like it could possibly be a good fruit. However, there are seemingly a zillion different mandarins any more continuously coming on to the market from UCR and Florida research. I really have not seen all that much difference between most of them. A mandarin taste like a mandarin. So far I have found nothing to be better than Xie Shan. Personally, I have stopped purchasing any more bud wood from CCPP. (Unless something REALLY REALLY REALLY miraculous comes along). - Millet (587-)

Just ordered that along with Smith Red Valencia and Xie Shan. Several people have told me that it is excellent at Riverside.

Any update on this variety? Anyone tasted it yet? I got a couple in liners from TreeSource last year.

camo hunter, did you order the usda 88-2 from Tree Source? what rootstock did you pick? I am also interested in them.

Yes, they are from Tree Source. They are on Rich 16-6. They are growing really slow. I only had two and gave one to a friend. I wish it was on Carrizo so it would hurry up and make some fruit and bud wood.

The Tree Source liners seem slow. They require a good bit of care to get them started, but they are still a good product. Where else can a GA grower get almost any combination of citrus delivered for $7 each. I'll probably get some more this year from them.