Ponkan (California) Citrus: Fruit and Tree Characteristics
Ponkan (California) citrus is a satsuma mandarin citrus variety. It was registered with the National Seed Industry Council in 2004 as NSIC 2004 Md 03. Its record notes a yield of 20 kg/tree.
Compare it with the others in our citrus variety finder, or see every crop variety we list. For the crop itself, read our guide: fertilizer for fruit trees.
- Yield: a recorded yield of 20 kg/tree.
- Type: Satsuma mandarin.
Key facts about Ponkan (California) citrus
| Trait | What the record shows |
|---|---|
| Registration | NSIC 2004 Md 03 |
| Year approved | 2004 |
| Type | Satsuma mandarin |
| Yield noted | 20 kg/tree |
| Tree height (m) | 1.5 |
| Tree growth habit | Drooping |
| Tree growth and vigor | Strong |
| Tree fruiting season | March September |
| Tree regularity of bearing | Annual |
| Fruit weight (g) | 302 |
| Fruit length (cm) | 7.38 |
| Fruit width (cm) | 8.7 |
| Fruit shape | Obloid (necked) |
| Skin color | Yellow |
| Skin texture | Smooth |
| Skin thickness (mm) | 2.5 |
When does it bear, and how much?
A registered tree variety is described from its mother tree, not from trial plots. The mother tree of Ponkan (California) was about 8 years old and about 1.5 meters tall when it was registered. Its record notes a yield of 20 kg/tree. It bears every year, with fruit in March September. A grafted or marcotted tree bears years sooner than one grown from seed, and its yield climbs as the tree grows.
anee.io keeps the records of each block of trees, from fertilizer to harvest, with the growth stages and weather beside them.
Is it resistant to pests and diseases?
No pest or disease ratings are published for this variety. So treat it as untested, and scout every week.
The pests and diseases that hit citrus fields most often: citrus greening, mealybug, Oriental fruit fly. Our pest finder and disease finder help you name what you see.
What the fruit is like
A fruit of Ponkan (California) weighs about 302 grams, and its shape is obloid (necked). The flesh is orange yellow and soft. Its sweetness measured 11 degrees Brix, the share of sugar in the juice. Most table fruit tastes sweet from about 12 Brix up. The edible part is 75.71 percent of the fruit. Its fruiting season is March September, bearing annual.
Where and when to plant Ponkan (California) citrus
Sweet oranges and mandarins grow best in the cooler, drier parts of the country. Buy budded trees on a tested rootstock from an accredited nursery, and keep out greening disease. A registered tree variety is a selection from one proven mother tree, and only grafted, budded or marcotted plants carry its traits. A seedling grown from its seed can turn out quite different. So buy from a nursery accredited by the Bureau of Plant Industry, and ask which mother tree the scions came from. Before planting, get the field ready with our guide: Land preparation for fruit trees.
Before you buy planting material
- Buy grafted or budded plants from an accredited nursery, with the variety name on the tag.
- Ask your municipal agriculturist or nearby farmers how it did in your area last season.
- Plant a few trees first if the variety is new to your area, before you fill the whole farm.
- Write down the planting day, inputs and harvest, so you can compare varieties on your own ground. anee.io keeps these records for you.
Set the planting day of each lot and anee.io dates every task to harvest, with the weather beside it. Free on the Libre plan.
Start freeCitrus varieties like this one
These are the closest matches among the citrus varieties we list. So if seed of this one is hard to find, compare these first.
- Gayunan: 2004
- Ponkan (Taiwan): 2004
- Okitsu: 2005
- Hamlin: 2005
What is its yield?
Where can I buy planting material of Ponkan (California)?
See how Ponkan (California) will do on your farm
With Libre + Anee, see its full record: how it yields, its strengths and weaknesses against pests, diseases and the weather, and whether it fits your farm, your season and your soil.
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