Shikwasa

Shikwasa is one of the two ancestral citrus fruits from Japan. It is only found in the wild in the Ryukyu Islands (Japan) and Taiwan. Its characteristics are unique among citrus fruits, and it has likely played an important role in the development of more modern Japanese varieties.

Vigorous tree, with a rounded crown and slender trunk. Lanceolate, broad, and aromatic leaves. Small, spherical fruits with flattened poles. Thin, somewhat rough, and very aromatic bark, dark green in September, reaching an intense orange at peak ripeness. Soft, gelatinous, and acidic pulp, juicy. It has seeds.

Among its uses are the ornamental use of the tree and the extraction of flavonoids from the fruits. The green fruit is a good substitute for lemon, and the more mature fruit is used for its juice. It accompanies sashimi and is used in preparations with ponzu. It is considered a healthy food and is used to reduce the roughness of dietary fiber. The dried fruit is added to infusions for its therapeutic effects.