Citrus shunkokan hort. ex Tan.

ORIGIN DATA:

No specific data is available regarding the origin of this variety, although it seems to have been known since 1907, when it was named by Sato Haruo. According to Tanaka, the name means “orange that brightens the spring”. It is not a common citrus fruit in Japan. It is grown only in Wakayama Prefecture and southern Mie Prefecture. Although in some forums it is included in the generic species of sweet orange trees, there are doubts about its hybrid character, possibly being a hybrid of sour orange.

TREE AND FRUIT DESCRIPTION:

Vigorous tree of open bearing and spherical morphology. Large, dark leaves, with winged petiole. Markedly oblate fruits, with rough rind and depressed apical zone. The color of the rind at full maturity does not go beyond a greenish yellow. The pulp is moderately juicy, light yellow in color and tart-sweet, with a refreshing flavor. It has seeds. If the ripe fruit is kept on the tree, it tends to dry out.

USES:

Mainly its juice is used, which should not be rested excessively after being obtained, because it increases its bitterness.