Citrus unshiu

(Mak.) Marcovich

Satsuma mandarin, Satsuma orange

Rutaceae Edible: Fruit 9,192 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Citrus unshiu is a semi-seedless and easy-peeling citrus species, also known as the satsuma mandarin or Japanese mandarin.

Description

A small evergreen tree. It has spines. It grows 3-4 m high. The leaves are thin and slightly leathery. They are smooth, and shiny on the upper surface. They are 4-8 cm long. The leaf stalk is 2-4 cm long and has wings. The flowers can occur singly or in small groups in the axils of leaves. The fruit are round and have a thin skin. The fruit has segments that separate easily and a skin that is easily removed. They do not have seeds.

Edible Uses

The fruit is eaten fresh or consumed as juice. The skin is used for juice drinks, and the fruit is also canned and bottled as frozen juice.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh or as juice. The skin is used for juice drinks. It is also canned and bottled as a frozen juice.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The fruit has anticancer properties.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It can tolerate cold to -11°C.

Where It Grows

Asia, Brazil, Caucasus, China, Colombia, Georgia, Japan*, Korea, Philippines, SE Asia, South America, Taiwan,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed.

Other Information

It is a cultivated food plant.

Notes

There are 20 Citrus species. Several hybrids have been formed. It has anticancer properties.

Synonyms

Citrus nobilis var. unshiu Swingle

Also Known As

Gyul, Japanese mandarin, Satsuma tangerine, Tangerina-japonesa, Tangerina-satsuma, Unshiu mikan

References (12)

Arora, R. K., 2014, Diversity in Underutilized Plant Species - An Asia-Pacific Perspective. Bioversity International. p 64
Bussman, R. W., et al, 2021, Unity in diversity—food plants and fungi of Sakartvelo (Republic of Georgia), Caucasus. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2021) 17:72 p 14
Draguli, K., et al, 2008, Synephrine Content of Juice from Satsuma Mandarins (Citrus unshiu Marcovitch). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 56: 8874-8878
Lorenzi, H., Bacher, L., Lacerda, M. & Sartori, S., 2006, Brazilian Fruits & Cultivated Exotics. Sao Paulo, Instituto Plantarum de Estuados da Flora Ltda. p 595
Izv. Sochin. Obl. Sukhum. Sadov. Sel. Opyt. Stantsii 2(2):5. 1921

Show all 12 references

Postman, J. D., et al, 2012, Recent NPGS Coordinated Expeditions in the Trans-Caucasus Region to Collect Wild Relatives of Temperate Fruit and Nut Crops. In Acta Horticulturae Number 948 p 191-198
Roa, J. A. G. & Boada, D. S. G., 2018, Fundación para el Fortalecimiento de la Fruticultura y Plantas Alimenticias no Convencionales en Colombia.
Song, M., et al, 2013, Traditional knowledge of wild edible plants in Jeju Island, Korea. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 12(2) pp 177-194
USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/econ.pl (10 April 2000)
van Wyk, B., 2005, Food Plants of the World. An illustrated guide. Timber press. p 144
Yamamoto, Masashi, 2014, Citrus Genetic Resources Grown on the Ryuku Uslands, Japan. Kagoshima University Research Center for the Pacific Islands. Occasional Papers No. 54 p 9
Yasukawa, K., Medicinal and Edible Plants as Cancer Preventive Agents. Drug Discovery Research in Pharmacognosy. p185 www.intechopen.com