The history of clementines from La Plana is a fascinating journey of innovation and adaptation that begins in the 1920s, when the Burrian lawyer José González Melo brought the first fine clementines from Oran, Algeria. González Melo, a leading figure in Valencian agriculture, began this adventure by grafting a field in Burriana, next to the Clot de la Mare de Déu chapel. This field, today in the hands of Dr. Vicente Castillo’s family, became the origin of a tradition that would change the history of citrus in the region.

Local farmers, attracted by the absence of seeds in this variety, began to graft their fields with fine clementine buds from the Gonzalez Melo estate. Thus was born the modern history of the clementine in La Plana, although at first it was not an easy crop. The fine clementine trees did not produce with the desired abundance and their fruits were small, which led some growers to opt for varieties such as the Monreal, more productive but with seeds.

The 1946 frost, although catastrophic for many, was a turning point. It forced growers to severely prune the trees and gave them an opportunity to try new grafts, especially of Nável, a booming variety. However, after pruning, a curious thing happened: the trees began to produce clementines more abundantly. This led to the discovery of a fundamental technique for growing clementines: the striping or banding of the branches, which helps to ensure the setting of the newly set fruit.

Clementine production in La Plana continued to boom, and in 1953 another milestone occurred: the appearance of the Clemenules, a spontaneous mutation that gave rise to a larger clementine with even more attractive characteristics. This variety not only became the clementine of choice in Spain, but its popularity has spread to producing countries such as South Africa, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile.

Thus, hand in hand with tradition and innovation, clementines from La Plana have conquered markets and have become a symbol of the quality and agricultural dedication of this land.