Oranges have been in American grocery stores since 2004 and 2013. But then a new player entered the mandarin orange tree market of the same size and had a blast in the upscale fruit market. I'm talking about Super Nova Mandarin! If you've never heard of Super Nova Mandarin, keep reading to find out - you'll thank us!
- The History of the Supernova Tangerine Tree
A young supernova in the commercial fruit scene. They were launched in 2016, but have actually been around for more than 50 years. In 1966, Jack Hearn, a citrus grower working for the USDA in Orlando, Florida, crossed Lee and Nova tangerines. The resulting hybrid was a seedless fruit, called 6-13-44, and was immediately distinguished by its taste. There was only one problem. The trees themselves did not bear fruit. For more than 20 years, USDA breeders have struggled with this. In 1988 they sent Bodwood to UC Riverside for vaccination, which led to the development of USDA 88-2 (Lee x Nova crossing with Novali). These new trees produced fruit, and although it was not abundant, it was delicious! After tasting the fruit, LoBue Citrus planted 70 acres of USDA 88-2 trees with specialized marketing plans. They chose the name "Supernova" to describe how bright and delicious the fruit is.
- Features of Super Nova Mandarin
- the tree
The Super Nova mandarin tree grows 10 to 12 feet tall, which makes it great for small gardens. It can be grown as a shrub/hedge or as a tree. 
The leaves are glossy and evergreen. On online gardening forums, some growers describe tiny thorns on the branches. Early to mid-spring, you will enjoy the fragrant orange blossoms on your tree. Supernova is self-pollinating (more good news for small gardens) and the fruit grows and ripens in late fall and winter.
- Fruit
Super Nova is round, 2-3″ in diameter, with thin skin, slightly sour, and a lot of oil. Like most tangerines, Super Nova is easy to peel - it smells especially great when peeled because of all the rich oils. Inside, the color of the flesh is dark orange. They are seedless, juicy, and odorless. What does a supernova mandarin taste like? The taste is what this fruit is famous for. Supernova Tangerine is described as having a rich flavor, bursting with a perfectly balanced ratio of sweetness and acid.
- raw food
Supernova can be peeled for snacks or salads (both fruit and garden). Its juice content makes it ideal for smoothies, smoothies, pickles, and marinades.
- cooking
You might not automatically think of citrus for baking, but imagine substituting the lime juice in your lemon pie recipe with fresh Supernova juice to make an orange version! For years, fans of the Jan Caron Mitford series have known one of her characters feasting on an orange marmalade. Karon finally shared the recipe so her readers can taste the cake in real life (keep reading to get it). 
Fresh Supernova juice can be used to make a marinade for meat dishes, but it gives an extra special zing when used as a marinade for fish. Super Nova is available in stores from December through February (about 6 weeks), so you'll want to grab it whenever you can. While researching this article, I was unable to find information on where to commercially distribute Super Nova in grocery stores. Since California is where USDA 88-2 growers are located, you'll have the most luck ordering "Super Nova," "Superna," or "Lee x Nova" tangerines/tangerines at California grocery stores. If you don't live in the Golden State, you can still enjoy Super Nova by ordering from specialty product companies online. A Google search will give you a list of product retailers advertising Super Nova, Superna, or Lee x Nova Mandarin. Although it is a small commercial fruit, Super Nova is available in the local market. In citrus zones (9-11), Super Nova tangerines can be grown as part of outdoor hedges or as a single tree. In zones 4-8, they can be pruned to grow in containers. In cooler areas, it can also be grown as a houseplant that you can move outside during the warmer months and then return indoors when nighttime temperatures drop to 39 degrees.
- Supernova tangerine tree growing
The following sections discuss the basic requirements for growing and caring for mandarin orange. 
- Sunshine
Like all orange trees, tangerine trees need full sun. At least 6 hours - more is better!
- Soil
Plant the tangerine tree in well-drained soil to avoid root rot and other diseases.
- Water
Supernova tangerine trees require less water. All they need is a deep soak once a week.
- How to prune an orange tree
Pruning will give you the best benefit for your tree in terms of health and beauty. Different rules apply depending on your location and the maturity of your tree. You must know the best times and methods. Why prune an orange tree? Pruning an orange tree is essential to maintaining the overall health of your tree. This helps provide room for the tree to grow. Branches on orange trees often grow stunted over time, which can crowd the main branches of the tree and make your tree look unattractive. Pruning orange trees are also essential to producing good fruit. Worn and crowded branches lead to the poor lighting of oranges and confined spaces. The result is a smaller fruit and a smaller crop. 
This is when you will prune an orange tree more often, but it lays the building blocks for your tree's success in the years to come.
- Diseases and care
All types of citrus trees are susceptible to the same diseases. Big things to watch for are anthracnose, armillaria root rot, citrus webbing, and citrus black spot.
- insects
The same is true when it comes to pests - there are common culprits that target all types of citrus trees. Aphids, leaf miners, thrips, and scale insects are just a few of the things you can deal with. This less available tangerine matches up with candy bars and halos in the taste, aroma, and bright color of the fruit inside. But since Super Nova does not yet have the same reach in the market and comes at a higher price, it has not done away with its competitors yet... As more consumers try these mandarins, the market demand for them is likely to increase. But the good news is that you can grow your own market-quality tangerines in your outdoor garden or even as a houseplant.