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Tahoe Gold Mandarin Trees for Sale
Citrus made easy for growers, nurseries, and distributors
The Tahoe Gold mandarin is a premium mid-season variety developed by the University of California Riverside’s citrus breeding program. A hybrid of Temple tangor, Dancy mandarin, and Encore mandarin, it belongs to the same “Gold” series as Shasta and Yosemite but stands out for its rich flavor, deep color, and reliable cropping. The fruit of the mandarin Tahoe Gold is medium-sized, seedless, and easy to peel, with a bright orange rind and firm, juicy flesh that combines sweetness with a pleasant tang. Its flavor is exceptionally rich for a mid-season mandarin.
A mature Tahoe Gold mandarin tree produces heavy, consistent crops and is prized for its uniform size and high internal quality. The fruit ripens from January through March in most California citrus districts, slotting perfectly between early Satsuma varieties and the late-season Shasta Gold. Tahoe Gold’s rind color develops early, providing excellent visual appeal even before peak maturity, and the fruit holds well on the tree without significant puffiness or granulation. Its balanced acid-to-sugar ratio gives it a refreshing taste that appeals to premium fresh fruit markets and long-term storage programs alike.
Tree growth is moderately vigorous with an upright habit, producing dense foliage that benefits from periodic light pruning to maintain air circulation and sunlight exposure. In warm inland valleys and coastal citrus regions, Tahoe Gold tangerine trees produce exceptionally colored fruit with high juice content and consistent internal quality across harvests.
Mandarin Trees Your Way
From seed to container-ready.
How Our Tahoe Gold Mandarin Trees Are Different
When purchasing Gillette navel orange trees from TreeSource, growers receive clean-propagated, true-to-type material from verified budwood sources. We emphasize uniformity, strong root development, and early structure so trees establish quickly and grow evenly. Shipping is handled in heavy-duty palletized triwall containers designed to secure pots and protect canopies, ensuring trees arrive healthy, stable, and ready to plant.
For orchardists and collectors seeking a classic California navel with heirloom pedigree, the Gillette orange offers a balanced, true-navel eating experience and a reliable mid-season harvest window. Whether planted in commercial rows, boutique groves, or heritage blocks, Gillette connects growers to the foundational era of California citrus — supported today by TreeSource’s clean stock program and professional handling to ensure healthy establishment and long-term success.
Tahoe Gold Mandarin Tree FAQs
What are the key characteristics of the Tahoe Gold mandarin?
The Tahoe Gold mandarin is a mid-season, seedless hybrid known for its deep orange color, rich flavor, and easy-peeling rind. The fruit are medium-sized, juicy, and hold well on the tree with minimal puffiness. The tree is upright and moderately vigorous, producing heavy, consistent crops from January to March. Tahoe Gold offers excellent sweetness, balanced acidity, and strong market appeal as part of UCR’s premium “Gold” mandarin series.
What type of growing conditions does Tahoe Gold require?
Tahoe Gold mandarin trees thrive in warm, sunny climates with well-drained sandy or loam soils and regular irrigation. They perform best in USDA Zones 9–11, where winters are mild and frost is minimal. Consistent moisture and balanced nutrition help maintain fruit size and sweetness, while warm days and cool nights enhance rind color and internal quality. Protection from strong winds and cold snaps ensures optimal yield and appearance.
How many years until Tahoe Gold trees start bearing fruit?
Tahoe Gold mandarin trees usually begin producing their first small crop in the second to third year after planting, reaching full, consistent production by the fifth year. Early fruiting can occur sooner under optimal conditions—warm climate, balanced nutrition, and good irrigation management—but commercial yields typically stabilize by year five.
How is Tahoe Gold different from Shasta Gold or Yosemite Gold mandarins?
Tahoe Gold, Shasta Gold, and Yosemite Gold mandarins all come from the same UC Riverside breeding program and share the same parentage—Temple tangor × Dancy mandarin × Encore mandarin—but they differ in timing, fruit size, and growth traits.
Tahoe Gold is the earliest maturing of the three, typically ripening from January through March. It produces medium-sized, seedless fruit with excellent sweetness, rich flavor, and smooth rind texture. Its color develops early, and the fruit holds well on the tree with minimal puffiness. Trees are upright and moderately vigorous, making them easy to manage in uniform orchard systems.
What is the commercial viability of Tahoe Gold for California orchards?
Tahoe Gold is a pretty seedless mandarin with a favorable harvest window, but has low commercial viability in California due to competition of superior mandarins like Clementines. It is well suited for the home garden or for small producers trying to offer something different directly to the consumers from mail order or through a farmer’s market.