General InformationÂ
Daisy is a cross between Fortune and Fremont mandarins and is considered to be better than either of its parents. Daisy was named officially by Dowlin Young of Young’s Nursery in Thermal, California, after his wife. Daisy produces a medium-large, mid-season mandarin with an attractive dark orange rind. It peels and sections moderately well. The tree produces a heavy crop with the fruit held in large clusters but has a strong tendency to be highly alternate bearing. Daisy is moderately seedy with one to three seeds per section.
Very good flavor with a little rag and a sugar: acid ratio which has received favorable comments from preliminary taste testing. Acid levels do not decline significantly as the fruit ages on the tree. This helps to maintain flavor over a long period. Daisy juice is also highly palatable with a complex flavor.
History
Mandarin oranges first grew in India three thousand years ago. From India, they traveled around the world— first to China, then North Africa, Europe, Australia, and North America. It is thought that the Italian consulate in New Orleans brought mandarins to the United States, and tangerines were later imported from Morocco, where they took their name from Tangier, the Moroccan port they came from. The Daisy tangerine’s name specifically is attributed to the wife of a California citrus nurseryman, who liked the taste of this particular fruit.
