Types of Satsuma Trees

Satsuma trees are tropical to sub-tropical citrus fruits of the mandarin orange variety that originated in Japan. There are several cultivars of satsuma oranges (Citrus unshiu), all of which are valued for their cold tolerance relative to other orange varieties, as well as their thin, easily-peeled skin and few seeds. There are over 100 varieties of C. unshiu, though there are only a few that are regularly available in the United States, according to Milind S. Ladaniya, in the 2008 book "Citrus Fruit: Biology, Technology and Evaluation."

Owari Satsuma
The most commonly used and cultivated variety of satsuma orange, Owari is a medium-sized satsuma that ripens late in the harvest season. The skin is a reddish-orange, and, like all satsumas, it has few to no seeds. Most other cultivars of satsuma on the market today are believed to have been bred from the Owari satsuma. They share some, if not all, the essential characteristics of Owari satsumas.

Obawase or Wase Satsuma
Obawase satsumas ripen earlier in the season than Owari, making them a better choice for areas that don't have as long a growing season. Their fruit is one of the largest of the satsumas, but the skin color and seed count is similar to Owari.

Okitsu Satsuma
In size, color, harvest time and seed count, Okitsu is the same as Owari. The flavor is sometimes sweeter than Owari (depending on growing conditions).

Armstrong Satsuma
Armstrong are another large, early-maturing satsuma variety, and differ from all other satsumas in that they have a much lighter orange skin.

Big Early Satsuma
Similar to Armstrong in all but color, and nearly identical to Obawase, Big Early is grown in some parts of the Gulf Coast region.

Kimbrough Satsuma
This high-yielding variety of satsuma is in all other respects very similar to Owari. Kimbroughs produce medium, late-ripening fruit with red-orange, loose peel.

Kara Satsuma
This satsuma is actually a hybrid between Owari and a variety of tangerine. For this reason, the skin and flesh is a bit lighter, and there are more seeds to be had in the medium-sized fruit.

Miho Satsuma
Miho is a relatively new cultivar with early-ripening fruit with thin, smooth skin. The flavor is sweet, and the fruit size is large.

Seto Satsuma
The flat-ish shape of the large Seto satsuma fruit makes them of particular interest to large-scale growers, since this makes them easier and more space-efficient to pack. This variety, along with the Miho variety, has been tested at various agricultural centers in Texas and is now a recommended variety.

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Satsuma Trees

The satsuma (Citrus unshiu) is a small citrus tree native to East Asia. It is one of several citrus trees that produce the mandarin variety of tangerines, which are sweet, juicy fruit of a bright, red-orange color. Dr. Steve George of the Texas Cooperative Extension notes that the tennis-ball-size fruit of satsuma trees is almost seedless, low in acid and very easy to peel and eat. Several characteristics of the satsuma tree have also made it popular among home gardeners.

Taxonomy
As members of the plant kingdom, satsuma trees also belong to the division Angiospermae, class Magnoliopsida, order Rosids and the suborder Sapindales. The satsuma is a member of the family Rutaceae and the genus Citrus, and it is identified scientifically by species as Citrus unshiu or Citrus reticulata. The plant is also known by the common names satsuma mandarin tree and satsuma tangerine tree.

Distribution
Satsuma trees were first discovered in Japan more than 700 years ago, though they are believed to originate from China as well. This fruit tree's moniker reflects its native land, as "Satsuma" was the name of the former Japanese province now known as Kagoshima prefecture. Today, satsuma trees thrive in the temperate subtropical regions of north Florida, areas of the Gulf Coast, central California, southern South America and Africa, central China and southern Japan. The more than 100 cultivars of satsuma trees produce mandarin oranges, commonly known as tangerines, of various sizes, colors, shapes and sweetness level that mature at different times.

Small Citrus
The relatively small size, aromatic white flowers, glossy green foliage and tasty fruit of satsuma trees have made them popular landscape and container choices for home gardeners. Satsuma trees can be productive at heights of only 4 to 6 feet for many years, and they produce the best fruit from October through November when in an environment that provides hot summers and consistently cool winters. Whether you intend to grow your satsuma trees in the ground or containers, water them only when the soil is dry an inch below the surface, as over-watering will do more harm than drought.

Cold Hardy
The University of Florida IFAS Extension notes that the satsuma tree is the most cold-tolerant tangerine cultivar of commercial importance. It explains that mature satsuma trees have survived temperatures as low as 15 degrees F in dormancy without serious injury, and that this cold-hardiness allows some species to ripen earlier than other citrus fruit. Even so, Dr. Steve George of the Texas Cooperative Extension notes that satsuma trees are still susceptible to sub-freezing temperatures, and you should take steps to protect your plant under cold conditions.

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