Kikudaidai sour orange hybrid

Citrus canaliculata Y. Tanaka

CRC 3565

PI 539181

Photos by David Karp, CVC,  3/3/2008. Photo rights.

Source: Received as budwood from Ted Frolich, University of California, Los Angeles, 1962. Open pollinated seedling.

Parentage/origins: Thought to be a hybrid between Citrus aurantium and Citrus paradisi.

Rootstocks of accession: Carrizo citrange, C-35 citrange

Season of ripeness at Riverside: December to February

Notes and observations:

2/22/1988, EMN: Selected budwood from seedling at SCFS nursery, no record regarding single or multiple. The Kikudaidai was known in Japan as early as 1864 and is still grown in gardens as a curiosity. Its flower forms a very short inflorescence and leaves are rather broad with large petiole wings. This accession was heat treated about 1975 for moving out of quarantine to Lindcove.

12/15/1987, EMN: A medium-large yellow fruit. Rind is rough similar to rough lemon. Rind of medium thickness, flesh yellow, hollow core, many seeds.

2/22/1988, WPB: This is a sour orange hybrid. We should move it to that classification.

3/3/2008, DK & TS:  The tree on Carrizo is much larger than the one on C-35, though they're the same age. The tree on C-35 is rather dwarfed, sickly and chlorotic, and the fruits are smaller. The fruits are flattened on the bottom, grapefruit shaped, with a rough, lumpy yellow rind, much sunburned. Some have prominent necks; spongy white albedo; seedy; light yellow flesh, very juicy, sour, nasty aftertaste.

Description from The Citrus Industry Vol. 1 (1967):

Availability: Not commercially available in California.

USDA Germplasm Resources Information Network page for Citrus canaliculata