Pixie Mandarin Tree
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Pixie Mandarin Tree - 4x4x9 Inch Container 1-2 Feet is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
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Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
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Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping
To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Standard Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
| From | To | S&H |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $19.99 | $24.99 |
| $20 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
| $50 | $69.99 | $34.99 |
| $70 | $99.99 | $39.99 |
| $100 | $129.99 | $44.99 |
| $130 | $149.99 | $48.99 |
| $150 | $150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
Buying Options for Plants
Nature Hills sells a large variety of plants with several options available. Plants are offered in both potted containers and as dormant bare root without soil. Here is a helpful resource to understand your options as you create a beautiful landscape with help from Nature Hills.
Ever wonder what a larger plant will mean for your landscape? Container Sizes are really all about the age of the plant!
Seasonally, Nature Hills offers hand selected, high quality bare root trees, shrubs and perennials. Bare root plants are sold by height from the top of the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may be taller than the height minimums.
- Popular sizes of select trees are 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, etc.
- Popular sizes of select bare root plants is 1 foot, 18 inches, etc.
Nature Hills Container Size by Volume
Keep in mind, specific varieties and different growing conditions can affect the rate at which plants grow. Variations in size may occur.
| Young Plants to 18 Months | ||
|---|---|---|
| Size | Volume | |
| 2"x2"x3" | Ranges from | .18 to .21 dry quarts / .198 to .23 dry liters in volume |
| 4.5" Container | Equal to | .65 dry quart / .72 dry liter in volume |
| Sprinter Pot | Equal to | .63 dry quart / .69 dry liter in volume |
| 4" Container | Ranges from | .31 to .87 / .35 to .96 dry liter in volume |
| 6" Container | Equal to | 1.4 dry quarts / 1.59 dry liters in volume |
| 1 Quart | Equal to | 1 dry quart / 1.1 dry liter in volume |
| 5.5" Container | Equal to | 1.89 of a dry quart / 2.08 dry liters in volume |
| 4"x4"x5" | Ranges from | .8 to 1.1 dry quarts / .88 to 1.2 dry liters in volume |
| 4"x4"x6" | Ranges from | 1.0 to 1.3 dry quarts / 1.1 to 1.41 dry liters in volume |
| 4"x4"x9" | Ranges from | 1.1 to 2.1 dry quarts / 1.2 to 2.3 dry liters in volume |
| 4"x4"x10" | Ranges from | 1.7 to 2.3 dry quart / 1.87 to 2.53 dry liters in volume |
| Plants 18 Months - 2.5 Years Old | ||
|---|---|---|
| Size | Volume | |
| 2 Quart | Equal to | 2 dry quarts / 2.2 dry liters in volume |
| #1 Container | Ranges from | 2.26 to 3.73 dry quarts / 2.49 to 4.11 dry liters in volume |
| 5"x5"x12" | Equal to | 3.5 to 4.3 dry quarts / 3.85 to 4.74 dry liters in volume |
| Plants 2 - 4 Years Old | ||
|---|---|---|
| Size | Volume | |
| #2 Container | Ranges from | 1.19 to 1.76 dry gallons / 5.24 to 7.75 dry liters in volume |
| #3 Container | Ranges from | 2.32 to 2.76 dry gallons / 10.22 to 12.16 dry liters in volume |
| Plants 3 - 5 Years Old | ||
|---|---|---|
| Size | Volume | |
| #5 Container | Ranges from | 2.92 to 4.62 dry gallons / 12.86 to 20.35 dry liters in volume |
| #6 Container | Ranges from | 5.25 to 6.01 dry gallons / 23.12 to 26.42 dry liters in volume |
| #7 Container | Ranges from | 5.98 to 6.08 dry gallons / 26.34 to 26.78 dry liters in volume |
Plant Highlights
Pixie Mandarin Tree highlights at a glance!
Plant Highlights
Plant Highlights
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Brand
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Botanical Name
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Growing Zones
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Mature Height
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Mature Spread
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Sun ExposureFull Sun
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Moisture
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Soil
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Growth RateMedium
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Flower Color
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Pollinator Friendly
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Pollinator Required
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Fragrant
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Pruning Time
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Bloom PeriodLate Spring
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Harvest Time
Growing Zones 9-10 (patio 4-10)
What the Pixie Mandarin (Citrus reticulata 'Pixie') lacks in size, it makes up for in sweet, indulgent flavor! These tiny little fruits are ever-so-popular - beloved by kids, adults also love their sweet, juicy goodness.
The Pixie Mandarin has a mild, sweet taste with lots of juice and deep orange flesh. The Pixie Mandarin is a Citrus fruit that is completely seedless, making it even more desirable to both kids and foodies in general.
The Pixie is a delight for kids, since it's both kid-sized and easy to peel, making it a snack they can easily serve themselves. Pack them in lunchboxes, keep them on the counter for healthy snacking for the whole family, or add them to fruit salads and platters. Pixies, like all Citrus fruits, are a great source of vitamin C, known for their antioxidant and immune-boosting properties.
Planting and Application:
Growers certainly appreciate the tropical look on their properties. The dark, leathery green leaves and upright foliage of this exquisite Mandarin variety give it a rainforest vibe that many growers and passersby appreciate.
These are ornamental lovelies that light up both front, side and back yard locations of your landscape! With their brilliant foliage, scented white blooms and glowing orange orbs dangling from your tree, there's always something to enjoy! Northern gardeners too, can pot this tree up and keep it on porches or patios, and just bring them indoors for the winter!
- Sweet, Juicy Fruit
- Compact Size & Vigorous Upright Evergreen Growth
- Late Season & Long Hang Time
- Grow Indoors & Out
- Specimen or Container Tree
#ProPlantTips for Care:
Mandarin Oranges need the full sun to do their very best flowering, and therefore fruiting. Growing best in very well-drained and slightly acidic soil, needing to dry out slightly between waterings. Preferring moderate moisture and drying out between waterings, prune after fruiting when needed.
Set up a regular fertilizer routine, but use a light hand with fertilizers. For plants that aren't holding on to fruit, consider applying organic Citrus fertilizer monthly in spring and again in summer during the growing season. Feed planted Clementine container plants again right before you take them outside for the summer. Feed in-ground planted Clementines once during the dormant season.
The Pixie Mandarin Tree requires moderate moisture to maintain its health and ensure a bountiful harvest. Grow the Pixie in the ground if you live in Zones 9-10, or cultivate it in a container in Zones 4-10.
Protecting Container Citrus From Cold
Although it's famous for growing in warmer regions, it can also thrive in colder areas as long as the tree is brought indoors prior to the first frost of winter.
If you're growing these tropical trees in the ground in the lowest of their favored growing zones, they need to be planted in a sheltered spot to avoid the worst of the chill. If a spot like that is unavailable, then you are better off planting in a large, deep container.
In borderline growing zones, begin slowly acclimating your tree indoors or into a protected location, eventually moving your tree inside in bright indirect sun for the winter if the temperatures in your area ever dip below that 40°F range. In spring, reverse this process and begin acclimating your tree to again be back out in the full sun all summer. This reduces stress and leaf drop.
- Prune to any size - ideal container plant
- Protect from cold & drafts - Provide at least 6 hours of full sun per day
- Provide a regular fertilizer schedule
- Learn about Caring for your Citrus Tree in our Garden Blog
- Provide a slightly acidic site that's enriched & well-drained
The Pixie Mandarin Tree is a cute little Citrus that packs a whopping amount of flavor! Hurry and order now before they sell out! Reap the rewards of growing your own homegrown fruit anywhere in the U.S.!
One of the Finest Modern Day Mandarins
The Pixie Mandarin was developed by Howard Brett Frost at the University of California, Riverside Citrus Research Center in 1927. Frost first crossed two Mandarin varieties, King and Dancy. He was hoping to get the late ripening of the King and the flavor of the Dancy. The result was a selection he named Kincy. The Kincy was large and seedy. He crossed it again, but this was not as well documented. This generation resulted in the Pixie, and the parentage is somewhat clouded.
The Pixies is either an open-pollinated seedling of the Kincy of which the parent variety is unknown, or it is a seedling that came from the original cross. In either case, the result was decades of observation at the UC Riverside Citrus Center with no better recommendation for the selection than it possibly being suited for the backyard grower.
Because the Pixie sets light when young, it wasn't considered well suited for the commercial market. It could take 4 years before a grower would see a commercial-size crop. Also, Mandarins in the mid-1900's were considered a Christmas fruit and the Pixie was not ripe until late January, well after the traditional market for the Mandarin.
Finally, in 1965 UC Riverside breeders James Cameron and Robert Soost released the Pixie, but with the recommendation that it be best suited for home gardeners. Then for another 15 to 20 years, the Pixie sat waiting to be appreciated.
In the late 1970's, citrus growers on the coast of California around the Ojai area sought to extend the selling season of mandarins. They were impressed by the flavor of the Pixie and began planting acres. More and more growers from the region followed on the success of Pixie Mandarins sales and today the Ojai region is renowned for the mandarins they produce. Pixie Mandarin remains a favorite.
The exposure of the variety by commercial growers also increased the demand from the home garden market. The range of adaptation was expanded by home gardeners experimenting with Pixie in colder areas of Zone 9, where it has proved to be a great performer.
Though admittedly slow to come into full fruit production, Pixie has also proved to be less prone to drastic swings in yearly production when mature. The flavor sets the high-quality standard for the Mandarin. It's almost seedless quality and ease of peeling makes Pixie Mandarin a favorite for the home gardener. The long harvest - up to 4 months or more - means the enjoyment seems to never end.
