Louisiana Early Satsuma Mandarin Budwood

Citrus unshiu.

An open pollinated cultivar of unknown satsuma mandarin parentage. Ripens in early September to mid October. Produces medium to large satsuma fruit, oblate in shape. as a light yellow thin leathery skin with an attractive appearance. Skin adherence is slight to moderate, but it remains easy to peel. Fruit puffiness ranges from none to slight. Flesh color is orange, flesh is tender and melting, with easily separating segments. Fruit is considered to be seedless. Taste and flavour are excellent, with fruit being juicy, and slightly acid. Leaves are dark green, large (3-4" long and 1-2" wide), lanceolate, tapering at base and apex with thin petiole. ‘LA Early’ trees are medium in size but very productive, the tree is spreading with drooping thornless branches. Fruit bud and blossom set are heavy, with even distribution throughout the tree. Fruit maturity is early and not determined by skin colour, thus having acceptable solid/acid ratio (10:1 ratio required for legal sale in Louisiana) quite early in the season.

Rootstocks of accession:  Carrizo citrange, C-35 citrange.

Season of ripeness in the climatic conditions of Riverside, California:  October to November.

Prepared by the Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection at The University of California Riverside.