The Tropical Fruit Forum

Citrus => Citrus General Discussion => Topic started by: SoCal2warm on January 31, 2019, 10:22:56 PM

Title: Enjoying some Nova Lee mandarins
Post by: SoCal2warm on January 31, 2019, 10:22:56 PM
Enjoying some Nova Lee mandarins.
The flavor is reminiscent of Page mandarins, but the flavor is a bit more subtle. Makes for a good dessert mandarin.
It's not too difficult to peel, though not quite as easy to peel as some of the other "zipper skin" mandarins.
Seems to be completely seedless.

Altogether, I'd say this is one of the better varieties of mandarin. One to include in your collection if you're only growing four or five varieties.

Something about it almost sort of reminds me of a dekopon.
Title: Re: Enjoying some Nova Lee mandarins
Post by: SoCal2warm on January 31, 2019, 10:36:37 PM
The peels also have a slight musky aroma that reminds me of my grandparent's basement (in a good way).
Title: Re: Enjoying some Nova Lee mandarins
Post by: TooFarNorth on February 01, 2019, 06:40:57 AM
I have a small tree planted this past Spring.  I've read that they are shy bearers in the southeast, but thought I would try one anyway.  I've also read that they are not very cold hardy, but so far has made it through the winter unscathed.

TFN
Title: Re: Enjoying some Nova Lee mandarins
Post by: Oolie on February 01, 2019, 03:11:12 PM
Is this the cross known as 88-2 marketed as 'Supernova'?

I found the musky taste as well, which I compare to strawberry guava. I still prefer a good dekopon, due to the richness and mouthfeel, but these are a suitable substitute that seems to produce acceptable fruit stateside.
Title: Re: Enjoying some Nova Lee mandarins
Post by: SoCal2warm on February 01, 2019, 05:05:39 PM
It's a cross between Nova and Lee.
I find it tastes very noticeably better than Nova.


Nova itself is a Clementine x Orlando tangelo cross, and so is Lee.
I tried Nova and didn't think anything special of it. And I believe I tried Lee. The flavor was like a good Dancy and there were some tropical mandarin aromas in there (not really my thing though) but it was very seedy, and so overall not worth it.
This latest cross appears to be an improvement over both of them.

Also because both the parents have Orlando tangelo in their ancestry, it wouldn't be that surprising if they had some degree of cold hardiness.
(Orlando is slightly cold hardier than Minneola, though does not have as good flavor, and they are both siblings resulting from the same cross)
Title: Re: Enjoying some Nova Lee mandarins
Post by: SoCal2warm on February 01, 2019, 09:19:23 PM
Coincidentally I just went to the store right now and saw they had Lee mandarins and picked one up.
It didn't have any seeds. The skin was not so easy to peel and not so easy to break into segments. The flavor was like a nice honey tangerine, but a little watery and lacking tanginess. I suppose one could say it had a nice flavor/aroma but a bit bland.

The store also had Shasta Gold, one of my favorites, and I got one of those as well.
Title: Re: Enjoying some Nova Lee mandarins
Post by: containerman on June 30, 2020, 01:39:53 PM
Enjoying some Nova Lee mandarins.
The flavor is reminiscent of Page mandarins, but the flavor is a bit more subtle. Makes for a good dessert mandarin.
It's not too difficult to peel, though not quite as easy to peel as some of the other "zipper skin" mandarins.
Seems to be completely seedless.

Altogether, I'd say this is one of the better varieties of mandarin. One to include in your collection if you're only growing four or five varieties.

Something about it almost sort of reminds me of a dekopon.

I just bought a 4 foot Nova x Lee yesterday. I can't wait until next season when I will get some fruit.
Title: Re: Enjoying some Nova Lee mandarins
Post by: Millet on June 30, 2020, 02:55:22 PM
Nova X Lee has had some excellent reviews.  I would like to grow that variety.
Title: Re: Enjoying some Nova Lee mandarins
Post by: containerman on June 30, 2020, 03:34:52 PM
Nova X Lee has had some excellent reviews.  I would like to grow that variety.

The funny thing is I passed on this tree in February and yesterday I decided to get it. I was surprised to still see it in their inventory so I snatched it up lol.
Title: Re: Enjoying some Nova Lee mandarins
Post by: Oolie on June 30, 2020, 11:25:12 PM
Lucky, I've tried grafting and budding it several times with no pushes.
Title: Re: Enjoying some Nova Lee mandarins
Post by: Vitaliy on July 09, 2020, 11:59:18 AM
I like the mandarin Nova. This is a hybrid of 'Clementin Fina x Tangelo Orlando'
I have a tree, tangerine USDA 88-2 (Lee x Nova). And I hope to try the fruit in a year. :)
I think Lee mandarin will taste like Page mandarin
Title: Re: Enjoying some Nova Lee mandarins
Post by: mrtexas on July 09, 2020, 01:11:16 PM
Got bud wood for lee x nova many years ago. Two friends
have large trees with lots of fruit this year. I got many fruit
last year from one friend. Very good. Trees were slow to
come into production.

Have also eaten lots of lee x orlando. Still waiting of lee x robinson
to produce much fruit.