What variety is this Satsuma

[EricSC]

I have a 8-9 year Satsuma tree which produces good fruit but I lost the original label from Homedepot.   By looking at the fruit, would you be able to tell what variety it is?   The common variety from HD is Owari frost. We know Okishu and seto are both flat.

The fruits are very flat but I remembered in early years they are more round.

The fruits just turned yellow and some of them start to be soft.   They taste reasonable sweet with some sour remaining. In the very early years, the fruits tasted very plain, then gradually get better in late years.

[SoCal2warm]

I am really not an expert on different varieties of Satsuma, but I think it is difficult to tell the difference between different Satsuma varieties, just by looking at the fruits. Especially only looking at one fruit.

It looks like it could be "Brown Select", due to the glossiness of the peel and some bumpiness, and the flatter top of these two fruits.

[EricSC]

SoCal2warm,

You mentioned "flatter top of these two fruits".  I remembered that in early years some fruits did have little tips (1-2 cm wide) at the top,  but now the fruits don't have it anymore. I  am also a little puzzled for it.

[containerman]

I have only seen Okitsu and Owari at the HD's in my area.

[sc4001992]

Here's a few flat ones I have but don't remember the names. The first photos shows a mix of fruits, satsuma, NZ lemon, Melogold, Late Lane orange on counter. Second photo below shows the two unknown satsuma, one type is large flat fruits, the other is small flat fruits from different source. Both tastes very good, no seeds. The last photo shows the fruit peeled.

[EricSC]

Here's a few flat ones I have but don't remember the names. The first photos shows a mix of fruits, satsuma, NZ lemon, Melogold, Late Lane orange on counter. Second photo below shows the two unknown satsuma, one type is large flat fruits, the other is small flat fruits from different source. Both tastes very good, no seeds.




How is your Ponkan compared with your Satsuma?

[sc4001992]

The Ponkan is still better to me, but some people (wife and daughter) may like the smaller satsuma because it is sweeter than the Ponkan with nice acid/tart kick.
The Ponkan flesh is similar to the sumo (firmer). The medium satsuma is good, soft flesh, with no acid/tart taste.

[Laaz]

Looking at the peeled flat fruit, it looks like Seto satsuma. Bonnie Childers sent me budwood of about 15 different satsumas years ago and that is the closest match. definitely not Brown select as that is more round.

[sc4001992]

Laaz, I think you are correct, it must be a Seto satsuma. The tree was planted by my dad a while ago (40yrs old) and it gives lots of fruits every year. After reading about the fruit and comparing more photos of the fruit and leaves on the internet it does look identical to the tree I have.

Thanks, mystery solved.

[SoCal2warm]

Laaz, I think you are correct, it must be a Seto satsuma. The tree was planted by my dad a while ago (40yrs old) and it gives lots of fruits every year.

I think this may be unlikely. I found a paper that says that both Miho and Seto varieties of Satsuma originated a little bit after that, being grown from seeds in November 1984 and first fruited in 1990.

https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/patiocitrus/satsuma.pdf

Were you saying your tree is that old, or your dad is that old?