← Plant Guides

How to Grow Clementine Fina

Wikimedia Commons

Clementine Fina

Citrus clementina 'Fina'

fruit

Clementine Fina is a seedless, seedless mandarin variety known for its sweet, aromatic flavor and easy-to-peel skin. This evergreen tree produces abundant small to medium fruits that ripen in late fall to winter. It's one of the most popular clementine cultivars worldwide for both commercial and home cultivation.

When should you plant Clementine Fina in your zone?

Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.

Get my Clementine Fina timeline →

Example Clementine Fina timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

  1. Plant Clementine Fina

    Around Apr 17

    Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.

  2. Tend & protect

    Late spring–summer

    Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.

  3. Harvest Clementine Fina

    Late summer into fall

    Before the first fall frost (≈ Nov 8)

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Clementine Fina dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Full sun, 8+ hours daily for optimal fruit production and flavor
💧
Water: Regular, deep watering during growing season (spring-summer); reduce in fall-winter. Water deeply but allow soil to dry slightly between waterings. Reduce frequency after fruit sets to concentrate sugars. Drought-tolerant once established.
📏
Spacing: 180 inches
📅
Days to maturity: 1095-1460 days from grafted tree planting (3-4 years to first significant harvest)
🌱
Planting depth: Plant at same depth as root ball; graft union should be 4-6 inches above soil line to prevent scion rooting

Soil

Type: Well-draining sandy loam or loamy soil
pH: 6.0-7.5
Amendments:
Compost or aged manure Citrus-specific fertilizer Sulfur (if pH too high) Zinc and magnesium supplements

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in USDA zones 9-11; can survive brief freezes to 10°F with protection

9a 9b 10a 10b 11a 11b

Sign up free to see if Clementine Fina grows in your zone — and get a personalized planting timeline.

Get my Clementine Fina timeline →

Growth Stages

1

Establishment (Year 1)

12 months

Young grafted tree develops root system and main framework branches. Minimal fruiting expected.

Keep well-watered, mulch to conserve moisture, stake for support if needed. Remove early flowers to encourage vegetative growth. Apply protective wrap in cold climates.

2

Vegetative Growth (Years 1-3)

24-36 months

Tree grows taller and wider, developing dense canopy. Gradually increases flowering capacity.

Prune for open vase shape, remove crossing branches, thin excessive growth. Apply citrus fertilizer monthly during growing season. Monitor for pests and diseases.

3

Flowering (Late winter to early spring)

3-4 weeks

Fragrant white blossoms appear in clusters along branches. Trees 3+ years old flower more prolifically.

Avoid heavy pruning during flowering. Maintain consistent watering—drought stress reduces fruit set. Do not over-fertilize with nitrogen as it reduces flowering.

4

Fruit Development (Spring-summer)

8-12 weeks

Green fruits rapidly enlarge from developing ovaries. Fruit clusters may need thinning for larger individual fruits.

Thin fruits to one every 4-6 inches for larger size. Maintain even moisture to prevent fruit cracking. Reduce nitrogen, increase potassium and phosphorus.

5

Ripening & Harvest (Fall-winter)

6-8 weeks

Fruits change from green to bright orange, developing sweet flavor and juice content. Peak harvest November-December.

Reduce watering slightly to concentrate sugars. Do not over-water during ripening. Harvest when fully colored and slightly soft to touch. Fruits can remain on tree for several weeks.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Borage Dill Fennel Marigold Nasturtium Rue Garlic Chives

Avoid planting near:

Black walnut (juglone allelopathy) Fennel (allelopathic to most plants) Potatoes (different nutrient needs and pest overlap)

Common Pests

  • Inspect new growth regularly, remove infected shoots, use yellow sticky traps, apply neem oil or insecticidal soap, encourage beneficial insects

  • Prune affected leaves, apply spinosad or neem oil, avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer that promotes new growth

  • Spray with strong water stream, apply sulfur or miticide, increase humidity, remove heavily infested leaves

  • Prune out clusters, apply insecticidal soap, use horticultural oil, release parasitic wasps

  • Apply dormant oil spray in winter, use horticultural oil, manually remove with brush, prune heavily infested branches

  • Remove infected branches 12 inches below lesions, disinfect tools, avoid working with tree when wet, no reliable chemical control

Uses

🍳

Fresh Eating & Juicing

Culinary

Clementine Fina's seedless nature and easy-peel skin make it ideal for fresh eating, particularly appealing to children. The juice is sweet and aromatic, perfect for fresh consumption or blending with other citrus varieties. [source]

🍳

Marmalade & Preserves

Culinary

The pectin-rich peel and flavorful flesh make excellent marmalade, jams, and candied peel. The essential oils in the skin provide distinctive aroma and flavor to preserves. [source]

🏠

Essential Oil & Fragrance

Household

Clementine peels yield aromatic essential oil rich in limonene, used in cleaning products, perfumes, and aromatherapy. The distinctive fragrance is milder and sweeter than other citrus oils. [source]

💊

Vitamin C & Antioxidants

Medicinal

Rich in vitamin C and flavonoid antioxidants, clementines support immune function and overall wellness. Traditional use in citrus-based folk remedies for colds and digestive support. [source]

🦋

Pollinator Support

Wildlife

Fragrant white flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hoverflies essential for fruit set and pollination. Provides nectar resource during late winter when other sources are scarce. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Harvest when fruits are fully orange and slightly soft to gentle touch, typically November through January depending on location. Clementine Fina fruits don't continue ripening after picking, so ensure full color development on tree. Cut with pruning shears or twist gently—pulling may damage branches. Fruits can remain on tree for 4-6 weeks after peak ripeness without quality loss. Store at room temperature for 1-2 weeks or refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 Clementine Fina was discovered in Algeria in the 1920s and is named 'Fina' meaning 'fine' in Spanish, highlighting its superior quality compared to other clementine types.
  • 🌱 Unlike most citrus, Clementine Fina trees can produce two flushes of flowers in a season—spring bloom and a smaller fall bloom—allowing extended harvest seasons in some climates.
  • 🌱 The seedless characteristic (parthenocarpy) is so reliable in Clementine Fina that it contains fewer than 5 seeds per 100 fruits, making it exceptionally convenient for consumers compared to seeded mandarin varieties.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Cultivar Full Sun Mulch pH Thinning
Shop Clementine Fina plants and related plants at Plant Addicts →

Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.

Get your personalized Clementine Fina planting timeline

Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Clementine Fina seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.

Get my Clementine Fina timeline →