Kinkoji unshiu (''Citrus obovoidea'' × ''unshiu'') is a ''
Citrus
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to ...
''
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...
cultivated for its edible
fruit
In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering.
Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...
.
Genetics
Kinkoji unshiu is a
graft hybrid between the kinkoji (''Citrus obovoidea'') and the
satsuma mandarin (''Citrus unshiu'').
Distribution
It is cultivated and occurs naturally in
Japan and is also grown in
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
.
Description
The fruit is moderately large (around the size of a
grapefruit) and
pomelo
The pomelo ( ), ''Citrus maxima'', is the largest citrus fruit from the family Rutaceae and the principal ancestor of the grapefruit. It is a natural, non-hybrid, citrus fruit, native to Southeast Asia. Similar in taste to a sweet grapefr ...
-like in shape. The
rind is of a medium thickness (slightly thinner than that of a
pomelo
The pomelo ( ), ''Citrus maxima'', is the largest citrus fruit from the family Rutaceae and the principal ancestor of the grapefruit. It is a natural, non-hybrid, citrus fruit, native to Southeast Asia. Similar in taste to a sweet grapefr ...
) and is pale to dark yellow in color. The flesh is bright orange in color and moderately seedy. The tree is densely branched and the leaves are leathery and ovate to elliptical in shape. The flesh is juicy and has been described as having a pleasant flavor but rather mild and flat. It has been cultivated for over 70 years.
Availability
It is commercially available in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
through the Citrus Clonal Protection Program.
See also
*
Kobayashi mikan
Kobayashi mikan (''Citrus natsudaidai'' x ''unshiu'') is a ''Citrus'' hybrid cultivated for its edible fruit.
Genetics
Kobayashi mikan is a graft hybrid between an amanatsu (''Citrus natsudaidai'') and a satsuma mandarin (''Citrus unshiu'').
D ...
*
Japanese citrus
A number of citrus fruits are grown in or strongly associated with Japan. Many of these fruits are of Chinese origin, but have been modified or specially bred for cultivation in Japan.
Japanese taxonomy
Japan usually follows the botanical name ...
*
List of citrus fruits
This is a list of citrus fruits:
Hybrid
Citron
Papeda
See also
* List of lemon dishes and drinks
External links"The Citrus Family Tree" ''National Geographic''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Citrus Fruits, List Of
*
Lists of foods
Lists of ...
References
{{Citrus
Citrus
Citrus hybrids
Fruit trees
Edible fruits
Japanese fruit
Fruits originating in East Asia
Flora of Japan