Satsuma mandarin

Sun

Full sun, ideally at least 6-8 hours daily, in a warm position sheltered from cold winds.

Water

Water deeply when the upper soil begins to dry; keep moisture reasonably even during flowering and fruit development, without waterlogging.

Soil

Well-drained, slightly acidic soil; avoid heavy, wet ground and strongly alkaline soil. Use a free-draining citrus potting mix in containers.

Height

10-20 ft (3-6 m); smaller on dwarfing rootstocks or in containers

Spread

10-15 ft (3-4.5 m)

Flowers

Fragrant white flowers in spring.

Foliage

Evergreen. Glossy, dark green, oval to lance-shaped leaves with a citrus scent when crushed.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen
• Fragrant
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Hard

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   7 ft (2.1 m)

3. After 2 years

   7 ft (2.3 m)

4. After 3 years

   8 ft (2.4 m)

5. After 5 years

   9 ft (2.6 m)

About 20 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water newly planted trees regularly; let excess water drain freely from containers.
• Feed with a citrus fertilizer containing trace elements during spring and summer, following the label; avoid late feeding that encourages tender growth before winter.
• Mulch the root area, keeping mulch several inches away from the trunk and graft union.
• Remove shoots growing from below the graft union as soon as they appear.
• Protect young trees during frost; move containers into a bright, cool, frost-free space before sustained freezing weather.

Pruning. Prune lightly in spring after the main frost risk has passed, removing dead, damaged and crossing branches. Avoid hard pruning or routine shearing, which removes fruiting wood and encourages vigorous shoots.

Pick mandarins in autumn to early winter, depending on cultivar and climate, when a sample tastes sweet and juicy; ripe fruit may retain some green skin in warm weather. Clip fruit from the tree rather than pulling it, and do not expect it to become sweeter after picking. A grafted nursery tree usually produces its first worthwhile crop about 2-4 years after planting.

Spring

Check for frost damage, prune lightly and remove rootstock suckers.

Spring

Start citrus feeding as active growth begins; plant outdoors once frost risk has passed.

Summer

Check soil moisture frequently, especially in pots, and inspect new growth for pests.

Late summer

Avoid heavy nitrogen feeding before cool weather and maintain steady watering as fruit enlarges.

Autumn

Taste-test fruit and harvest as it sweetens; prepare frost protection before cold nights.

Winter

Keep sheltered container trees bright and cool, watering less often but not allowing the root ball to dry out completely.

• Use as a small specimen tree near a sunny patio, where fragrant flowers and ripening fruit can be enjoyed.
• Grow in a large container in a sheltered courtyard, with access to winter shelter in cold regions.
• Include in an edible garden with low herbs outside the mulched root area.
• Plant several trees as a loose evergreen orchard in warm, well-drained gardens.

Garden styles it suits: Mediterranean, Modern courtyard, Potager (kitchen garden), Backyard orchard, Edible landscape and Small-space.

Plant it with: Thyme, Oregano, Chives, Sweet alyssum and Nasturtium.

Wildlife: Flowers attract bees and other pollinating insects, although satsumas can set seedless fruit without cross-pollination. Citrus foliage can support swallowtail butterfly caterpillars in some regions.

• Scale insects and associated sooty mould: inspect stems and leaf undersides, control ants, and treat scale with a locally approved horticultural oil according to the label.
• Citrus leafminer: winding trails distort young leaves; avoid unnecessary pruning that stimulates soft growth, and usually tolerate minor damage on established trees.
• Root and collar rot: improve drainage, keep the graft union above soil level and avoid wet mulch against the trunk.
• Yellow leaves from nutrient deficiency or alkaline soil: check drainage and soil pH, use a citrus fertilizer with trace elements, and apply suitable chelated iron if iron deficiency is confirmed.

The ripe flesh is edible for people. Peel, leaves and stems contain citrus oils and other compounds considered toxic to cats, dogs and horses; chewing them may cause digestive upset, and contact can irritate skin. Small amounts of plain fruit flesh are generally not considered toxic to cats or dogs, but avoid offering peel or concentrated citrus oils.

• Clementine (Citrus × clementina)

  Fruit is often rounder with a tighter peel, while satsumas are commonly flattened with a looser skin. Appearance overlaps, so a reliable nursery label is the best guide.

• Sweet orange (Citrus × sinensis)

  Usually has larger, rounder fruit with a more firmly attached rind; satsumas separate into segments and peel much more easily.

Satsuma takes its name from the former Japanese province associated with its introduction abroad, while unshiu refers to Wenzhou in China.

Propagation. Usually propagated by budding or grafting onto a suitable citrus rootstock. Seed-grown trees take much longer to crop and are not a dependable way to reproduce a named cultivar; use certified disease-free nursery material and follow local citrus movement restrictions.

Accepted botanical name

Citrus unshiu

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.