Seedless Kishu mandarin

Citrus kinokuni mukakukishu

CRC 3906
PI 539530
VI 433

Source

Received as budwood from Japan via Glenn Dale (requested by W.P. Bitters), 1983.

Parentage/origins

Parents unknown.

Rootstocks of accession

Carrizo citrange

Season of ripeness at Riverside

December to January

Notes and observations

EMN, 11/23/1988: Very small mandarin. Sweet & seedless, peels & sections well but is already starting to get dry & granulated at apical ends of fruits. Too small for commercial of backyard potential; excels only in being "cute", but this might appeal to some people.

EMN, 11/13/1989: Very small size again. Sweet enough to eat already. Probably not promising on basis of size.

Description from The Citrus Industry Vol. 1 (1967)

"This species is the kishû mikan of Japan. The fruit is small, somewhat oblate, depressed at both ends, orange-colored, and glossy. The thin, comparatively tight rind is easily peelable and fragrantly aromatic. The flesh is firm, meaty, and pleasantly sweet in flavor. Seeds are few, polyembryonic, and have pale green cotyledons. Fruit maturity occurs in early midseason.

The kinokuni is said to be a very old species of Chinese origin and one of the earliest introduced into Japan, where it is still popular because of its pleasant flavor and rich fragrances Tanaka (1954, p. 136) states that at least four varieties are known, the largest of which is Hirakishu. Mukakukishu is a completely seedless variety."