How Long Does a Mandarin Tree Take to Harvest?

The Big Wait

• Mandarin oranges will grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8b through 11. The grafted saplings that you will most likely find in nurseries establish their roots for their first three or four years as the tree gets ready to yield fruit. During this period, Mandarins are considered non-bearing. The oranges that immature trees do yield are bland. As the trees mature, the quality of their oranges improves.

Pollen Begets Oranges

• Mandarin oranges are self-fertile, meaning each tree provides its own pollen and a tree growing alone will yield fruit. The exception is the "Dancy" tangerine (Citrus unshiu “Dancy”) also called the "Dancy" Mandarin. Sterile "Dancy" tangerines need pollen from another citrus variety to produce fruit. Some cultivars have a tendency to bear every other year.

Waiting to Snatch 'Em

• The bloom time of Mandarin oranges varies with local climate and individual cultivars. They typically yield white flowers in early spring, although in some climates, they may have several flushes of blooms from spring through fall. Their fruits are usually ready to harvest eight to 16 months later. Most cultivars ripen in November or December. Their harvest period varies from two to six months.

Picky Details

• The Mandarins do not continue to ripen after you pick them, so leave them on the tree until you want them. Additionally, they do not last long after you pick them. Mandarins washed and waxed by commercial growers last about two weeks and rot in about one month.