Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck

CRC 4093
PI 654881
VI 647

Source

Received as seed from homeowner (Smith) of Moorpark, Ventura County, California, 1988. Smith Red Blood orange was received from the UCR Variety Collection 9-1-1998, trees planted in Lindcove Foundation Block 2001 and the first budwood went out to nurseries in January of 2004.

Parentage/origins

Merleen Smith residence, Moorpark, CA, c. 1988. Released by California Citrus Clonal Protection Program in 2004. Originally believed to be a spontaneous mutation of backyard Valencia tree and named ‘Smith Red Valencia’, but this parentage seems unlikely.

Rootstocks of accession

Carrizo citrange, C-35 citrange

Season of ripeness at Riverside

January to April

Notes and observations

9/30/1988, MR: A single seed from a deep red colored fruit collected from one of two Valencia trees in Ventura County by homeowner. Fruit somewhat overmature. Looks like a blood orange, including an indentation at stylar end. This was the only fruit found so far. Nick Sakovich will check for more. Seed heat treated and 8-HQ. Homeowner is___ Smith. Trees to field were A,B,C. Maybe three seedlings from one seed." Homeowner believed neighbor was poisoning her tree and contacted the local Farm advisor. The tree is a vigorous grower and carries good crops of fruit. The fruit is of good size and flavor and is very low-seeded. As noted above, the rind frequently carries a heavy red blush and the flesh is heavily pigmented with anthocyanin. The fruit shape is somewhat variable, globose to avoid, with a depressed base, possibly due to juvenility of subject trees. Although the fruit is mature in late winter, it holds well into late spring, well past the season for conventional blood oranges.

3/22/2010, DK: Good size, typically larger than Moro; somewhat variable shape; globose to ovoid with a depressed base, possibly due to juvenility; rind frequently heavily blushed, texture more pebbled than Moro or Tarocco; flesh deeply pigmented by anthocyanin, less tender than Tarocco; flavor very good, sweeter than Moro; seeds few; season late winter in Riverside, holds on the tree past the season for Moro.

Availability

Commercially available in California through the Citrus Clonal Protection Program. Click here to order budwood.

USDA Germplasm Resources Information Network page for Smith Red

CVC Fruit Quality Data for Smith Red

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