Corsican Clementines

  Corsican Clementines are a winter treat. They are always sold with some leaves attached to indicate they are freshly picked (or at least, have not spent months in storage...)

Corsican clementines are a hundred years old this year!

'Born' in Algeria, the first clementine tree arrived in Corsica in 1925 and several orchards were planted in the south of the island. A century later, this little citrus has become the symbol of the island, and a veritable scientific treasure.

 

Corsican clementines on the supermarket shelf.

These clementine trees can survive to -8°C, and researchers discovered just how hardy they were right from the start. These early vigorous plants formed the basis of selections for production done by the National Institute of Agronomy Research in the 1960s.

The parents of the clementine are two Chinese species. In 1995 scientists showed that clementines were a cross between a mandarine and a sweet orange. Both these Asian species found conditions in Corsica to be ideal.

 

Price on the supermarket shelf, €2.39 for a 1 kg punnet if you have a loyalty card. The product has geographical protection certification, and the fruit is not treated after harvest.

Clementines are normally seed free. In a 100% clementine orchard, all the fruit will be seed free, unless there is a lemon or a mandarine growing nearby and cross pollination occurs. Then seeds will be produced in the fruit on the clementine tree.

Clementine trees can live and produce fruit for up to 60 years. Some of the original trees are still standing and still producing a harvest on Corsica's eastern plain.

 

Corsican clementines in the SuperU supermarket at la Roche Posay.

With climate change the harvest period is reducing and late harvest varieties are being developed to try to combat this. The challenge is to retain the fruits' pleasing natural acidity and not end up with something too sickly sweet.

The National Institute of Agronomy Research (INRAE) has its citrus conservatoire and research station on Corsica, where it grows 74 varieties of clementine, amongst a total of 1064 varieties of citrus. This biological resource is essential for the future of the clementine.