Citrus

Ponkan (Taiwan) Citrus (Ponkan): Fruit and Tree Characteristics

Ponkan (Taiwan) citrus is a satsuma mandarin citrus variety, also sold or known as Ponkan or Ponkan mandarin. It was registered with the National Seed Industry Council in 2004 as NSIC 2004 Md 02. Its record notes a yield of 12 kg/tree.

4 min read Updated October 23, 2026 By the anee.io agriculture team Read it all with Libre + Anee
Rows of young calamansi trees in an orchard in Victoria, Tarlac, the kind of farm where Ponkan (Taiwan) citrus is grown
Photo: Judgefloro, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The average and top yields in tonnes per hectare come from the trials each variety went through to be registered with the NSIC, and from what the seed companies say about their own seed.

What farmers harvest today can be different. Newer harvest records, the season, the place, the soil, the water and the care all move these numbers over time.

So use them to compare varieties, not as a promise for your field. Ask your seller or your agriculturist how the variety did on farms near you in the last few seasons.

If you came here looking for Ponkan or Ponkan mandarin, this is the same citrus. Its seller and farm sources add notes, listed at the end. 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 12 kg/tree.
  • Type: Satsuma mandarin.

Key facts about Ponkan (Taiwan) citrus

Key facts of Ponkan (Taiwan)
TraitWhat the record shows
RegistrationNSIC 2004 Md 02
Year approved2004
Also known asPonkan, Ponkan mandarin, NSIC Md 02
TypeSatsuma mandarin
Yield noted12 kg/tree
Tree height (m)1.5
Tree growth habitErect
Tree growth and vigorStrong
Tree fruiting seasonMarch September
Tree regularity of bearingAnnual
Fruit weight (g)187.5
Fruit length (cm)7.5
Fruit width (cm)8.9
Fruit shapeObloid
Skin colorGreen Yellow
Skin textureSmooth
Skin thickness (mm)2.5
Yield, per the sellerabout 12 kg per young tree

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 (Taiwan) was about 8 years old and about 1.5 meters tall when it was registered. Its record notes a yield of 12 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 (Taiwan) weighs about 187.5 grams, and its shape is obloid. The flesh is yellow and sot. Its sweetness measured 11.8 degrees Brix, the share of sugar in the juice. Most table fruit tastes sweet from about 12 Brix up. The edible part is 75.73 percent of the fruit. Its fruiting season is March September, bearing annual.

What its seller and farm sources say

  • Harvest: Fruits March to September.
  • Yield: About 12 kg per young tree.
  • Fruit: About 190 g, flattened, green yellow smooth peel, juicy yellow flesh, about 11.8 Brix, about 76 percent edible.
  • Uses: Table.

Why farmers know it: the registered Taiwan Ponkan mandarin. Check these against what farmers near you have seen, because the same variety can do differently from one town to the next.

Where and when to plant Ponkan (Taiwan) 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.
Plan your next citrus season

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.

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Citrus 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.

Is Ponkan the same as Ponkan (Taiwan)?
Yes. Ponkan is another name for Ponkan (Taiwan), registered as NSIC 2004 Md 02. Seed sellers use both, so ask for either one.
What is its yield?
The record shows a recorded yield of 12 kg/tree. Your own yield depends on the soil, water, fertilizer and pests on your farm.
Where can I buy planting material of Ponkan (Taiwan)?
Buy grafted, budded or marcotted trees from a nursery accredited by the Bureau of Plant Industry, so you get the true variety. Ask your provincial agriculture office for the nearest one.

See how Ponkan (Taiwan) 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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