Robinson Mandarin

Robinson was selected from a Clementine mandarin × Orlando tangelo cross made in Florida in 1942. Reece and Gardner identify it as one of three selections from that cross, alongside Lee and Osceola; UCR and UF/IFAS report release in 1959.^{⁠[1]⁠[2]⁠[4]}

Reece and Gardner described oblate, smooth, glossy orange fruit with a thin, leathery peel that is easily removed and dark-orange, juicy flesh they called “rich and sweet”; their account gives 10–20 seeds. UF says seed content varies greatly with cross-pollination. UF lists an October–December harvest, while UCR reports November–January ripening at Riverside.^{⁠[1]⁠[2]⁠[4]}

UF/IFAS describes Robinson as self-incompatible and recommends pollinizers, while noting that nearby pollenizers can increase fruit set, size, and seed number. In a 2010–2011 Dörtyol hand-pollination trial, maturity fruit set was 3.50% under open pollination and 23.08% with Valencia Late pollen; these treatment results are specific to that orchard.^⁠[4]⁠[8]

UF/IFAS describes upright-spreading trees with brittle wood, crop-related limb breakage, and continuing twig/limb dieback; it also warns of fruit splitting and on-tree drying. Reece and Gardner described the original parent tree as regularly bearing, while UCR reports alternate bearing in Riverside. Citrus ID separately notes splitting, drying, and tree-collapse risks for Chiefland clone SPB-800-3.^{⁠[1]⁠[2]⁠[4]⁠[3]}