Pixie mandarin

Citrus reticulata Blanco

CRC 3568

PI 539510

VI 10

Photos by Toni Siebert, CVC. Photo rights.  

Source: Received as budwood from breeding block at CRC, 1966.

Parentage/origins: Pixie is a mandarin variety developed by H. B. Frost at the University of California Riverside Citrus Research Center. Pixie is the result of an open pollination of Kincy (King X Dancy) that took place in 1927 and eventually released in 1965.

Rootstocks of accession: Carrizo citrange, C-35 citrange

Season of ripeness at Riverside: November to January

Notes and observations:

The tree is a vigorous grower with an upright growth habit. The fruit is usually globose to slightly oblate, and sometimes has a neck. The rind is yellow-orange with a slightly pebbled texture that is easy to peel. The flesh is seedless, orange colored, and juicy. The flavor is mild and sweet. Pixie matures in late winter and holds exceptionally late on the tree; in certain mild locations, the fruit is known to hold well into summer.

3/1987, EMN: Very nice to ear right now- fruit size smallish. Good home garden variety- seedless. A second generation seedling (hybrid or self) from open pollination of a cross of King and Dancy (named Kincy).

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

"Fruit small to medium-small, subglobose to round; commonly with broad, short neck and collar.  Rind medium-thin, easily separable; grained to pebbled surface texture; color yellowish-orange.  Flesh medium-orange; moderately juicy; flavor pleasant and mild.  Virtually seedless (occasionally 1 seed).  Holds well on tree with little rind-puffing, but some juice loss.  Matures late.
      Tree vigorous, erect to somewhat spreading; stout, ascending branches and large, King-like leaves.  Tendency to alternate bearing.  Considerable proportion of inside fruits not subject to sunburn.
      Pixie is a second generation seedling (hybrid or self) from open pollination of a cross of King and Dancy (named Kincy).  This variety was made in 1927 by H. B. Frost of the University of California Citrus Research Center, Riverside, and was selected and introduced in 1965 by his colleagues J. W. Cameron and R. K. Soost.  Because of its seedlessness and lateness of maturity, Pixie may have promise, especially as a home orchard variety (Cameron, Soost, and Frost, 1965)."

Availability: Commercially available in California through the Citrus Clonal Protection Program.

USDA Germplasm Resources Information Network page for Pixie mandarin

CVC Fruit Quality Data for Pixie mandarin