Description
The Murcott tree, also known as the Honey Tangerine Tree, is favored for its fruit which have a sweet flavor, and extremely juicy flesh.
The Murcott tree, also known as the Honey Tangerine Tree, is favored for its sweet flavor, and extremely juicy flesh. The fruit is so juicy, that it has become a favorite for fresh-squeezed juice at home. The skin of the medium-sized Murcott is deep orange, and the flesh and juice are a vibrant red-orange color.
The skin is slightly dimpled and fairly easy to peel, making the Murcott Honey Tangerine fine for eating out of hand. Murcotts can contain some seeds, and other tangerines may be a bit easier to peel, but the Murcott is a great choice if you want both a good eating tangerine, and one that is great for juicing.
Murcotts (or Honey Tangerines) stand out for their abundant amount of juice, their dark orange skin, bright red-orange juice, and refreshing sweet flavor.
Citrus Tree Care
Murcott Tangerine trees bloom large, fragrant, white flowers starting in summer and continuing through fall. Water thoroughly throughout the growing and blooming seasons, but never allow the ground to remain soggy. Murcotts, like other citrus, require well-draining soil. Fertilize with citrus fertilizer according to the manufacturer’s instructions for tree size, and if you must prune, do so in the early summer before blooms appear.Â
Be sure to always keep the tree base clear of weeds, deep mulch, fallen fruit, and pruned branches. You can mulch around your Honey Tangerine, but never mulch directly against the tree trunk.
Fruit & Harvesting
The fruit of the Murcott Tangerine tree will begin to appear in fall, and reach maturity from winter through early spring. You will know it is time to harvest your fruit when their color turns from green and yellow-green, to a deep orange. The best way to know if the Murcott fruit is ready, is to pick a few and do a taste test. The flesh should be juicy and sweet-tart. If the taste is bitter or overly sour, allow the fruit to mature for another week, then do a new taste test.
Advice
Murcott Tangerine trees do best in a sunny location, planted in the ground, within USDA growing zones 8 to 11. You can also grow these citrus trees in a suitable pot within zones 4 to 11, as long as you bring the tree indoors when freezing temperatures occur.
If you must grow your Murcott tree indoors, be sure to give it as much light as possible during daylight hours, and water thoroughly when the top two inches of the soil becomes dry. A saucer to collect excess water may be used, but do not allow the soil to remain soggy.
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