Kishu Mandarin Tree

Availability: Out of stock
SKU
4W-MKISH

The most delicious Mandarin you'll ever taste! Adorable and irresistible, the Kishu Seedless Mandarin (Citrus kinokuni mukakukishu) is one of the most delicious of all the Mandarins. The fruit is smaller than a golf ball but super easy to peel, tender and juicy on the tongue, and fragrant and sweet to the nose.

All of these qualities make for a fantastic homegrown fruit, but a difficult one to grow commercially. Until recently it was a challenge to find - even at farmer's markets - but the fruits are becoming more readily available, thanks to small groves of Citrus tree growers.

From the glossy bright green foliage that remains year-round, to the drifts of fragrant white blossoms, you’ll always have something to enjoy on your Kishu! However, it will turn the most heads once it's dripping in darling bright orange orbs just begging to be savored!

Planting and Application:

Thankfully you don't have to wait until this delicious fruit comes to your local market - you can grow your own today! If you live in a Citrus-friendly area, or even if you have a large pot and a sunny window, you can grow this delightful fruit for yourself.

Indoors or out, porch, patio or balcony, anyone in cooler climates can also enjoy these smaller, more compact ornamental trees! In warm climates, the Kishu Mandarin Tree thrives as a front or back yard specimen tree and small edible ornamental!

  • Exceptional Flavor
  • Early Ripening
  • Small, Easily Peeled Fruit
  • Ornamental Flowering Broadleaf Evergreen
  • Container Tree - Grow Indoors or Out!
  • Easy to Grow & Healthy Vitamin C-Packed Treat

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Citrus trees do their best fruiting and flowering in the full sun, so provide at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day for your tree or risk your harvest's size. Citrus also prefer to dry out a bit between waterings, so plant in enriched, slightly acidic, organic soil that's well-drained.

Any gardener will tell you that the fruit you grow yourself is better than the fruit you buy at the store. They also tell you that fruit that you grow that isn't available in the market tastes even better! You'll be an instant hit with your neighbors and at your local farmer's market, but only if you order your Kishu Seedless Mandarin Tree today at NatureHills.com!

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To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.

Shipping Rates

At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.

From To S&H
0 - 19.99 19.99
20 - 49.99 21.99
50 - 69.99 24.99
70 - 99.99 29.99
100 - 129.99 34.99
130 - 149.99 41.99
150 - 150+ Approx 27%

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Kishu Mandarin Loved for Two Thousand Years

The Kishu Mandarin is a small citrus fruit with an enormous history. Packed with flavor and convenience, the fruit has lasted as a favorite of both the Chinese and the Japanese for almost two thousand years.

Known by a variety of different names, the Kishu first is described during the Tang dynasty around (618 to 907 AD). Then called the Ruju, the fruit is a seeded selection with outstanding flavor; by the era of the Song dynasty (960 to 1279) it is hailed as one of the finest of Mandarins. DNA has shown the modern day Kishu and the Ruju, or Nanfengmiju as it is referred to today, to be very similar. It is currently one of the most widely grown Mandarins in China.

Arriving in Japan around 700 years ago, the Cherry Orange as it was called, began to be cultivated and was soon referred to as the Japanese Orange. By the 16th century, the Kishu domain, a location in the southern part of Japan, was the prime region for the Japanese Orange and most likely the origin of the varieties name. Kishu is said to be one of the most popular citrus varieties in Japan until the 1880's, with the introduction of the Satsuma Mandarin. At this time, at least 4 varieties of Kishus are known, with 4 being seeded and 1 being seedless.

It wasn't until the early 1900's that seed began to arrive in the United States. The Mukaku Kishu seeds, a highly prized, low seeded, Japanese selection, was brought to California in 1915. Once fruited, it is determined that the fruit is too small and not suited for commercial cultivation. There are recommendations made that the variety is suited for home garden as early as 1902, but the Kishu Mandarin would not be looked at again until the 1990's.

In the early 1980's, bud wood for the Seedless Kishu arrive at UC Riverside's Citrus Variety Collection. Once fruited the selection fast becomes a favorite of the UC Riverside Staff. The fine flavor, the ease of peeling and the small snack size fruit were all exciting features to the UC Staff. The fact that it was earlier than the most popular Satsuma Mandarin only added to its potential.

Finally, in 1987, a commercial grower in Ojai, California planted the first seedless Kishu orchard. The fruit was an immediate hit at farmers markets. The demand grows quickly, attracting 5 or more growers to plant as well. In the late 1990's, the Four Winds Growers of Fremont, California begin offering the low seeded Kishu to the home garden market. The variety is slow to catch on at first, but with the help of commercial exposure, demand begins to grow.

Today, the low Seeded and Seedless varieties are both offered, with some preferring the seeded claiming a more intense flavor. In either case, the Kishu Mandarin is now a much appreciated, early season fruit, and will continue to grow in popularity based on the attributes that have made it popular for the last two thousand years.

PLANT HIGHLIGHTS

Kishu Mandarin Tree Is Suited to Grow in Zones Outdoors 9-10; Patio 4-10
Growing Zones Outdoors 9-10; Patio 4-10
More Information
Brand Nature Hills' Choice
Botanical Name Citrus kinokuni mukakukishu
Type Broad-Leaved Evergreen
Mature Height 8 - 10 feet
Mature Spread 8 - 10 feet
Sun Exposure Full Sun
Soil Well Drained
Moisture Moderate
Growth Rate Medium
Flower Color White
Foliage Glossy Green
Fall Color Evergreen
Harvest Time Late Season
Pollinator Friendly Yes
Fruiting Time 3 - 5 Years
Pruning Time Late Winter
Fragrant Yes

Notice On Shipping Citrus: Agricultural Laws Prevent Us From Shipping Citrus Trees Into AZ, LA, TX, and Maybe Prevented in FL or CA