Iwasaki Satsuma

Iwasaki is a very early Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu). Its origin remains uncertain: UCR describes a probable limb sport of an unnamed Satsuma, while Todolí mentions Owari only as a possible source cultivar. UCR's CRC 4218 accession was received as budwood from Spain via CCPP in October 2009.^⁠[1]⁠[2]

Todolí describes an oblate fruit with a smooth, thin orange rind, easy peeling, juicy yellow-orange flesh and a mild aroma. Its description and individual grower samples report seedless fruit, but UCR's accession table includes seeded samples, so seedlessness should not be assumed for every fruit.^{⁠[1]⁠[2]⁠[5]}

Ripening depends on growing conditions. UCR lists October–November at Riverside; its 2011 account of a conversation with Paco Llatser reports early to mid-September in Spain. Todolí also describes September availability, while a grower reported fruit still incompletely colored on a potted tree in October 2026.^{⁠[1]⁠[2]⁠[5]}

In a southern Georgia study, Iwasaki averaged 8.0 °Bx in late September and 9.6 °Bx in mid-October, from separate sampling windows pooled over 2022–2023 at one Iwasaki site. Peel was looser by mid-October. A forum sample of unspecified provenance was reported at 9 °Bx. In a later report, Skandiberg described one fruit he considered ripe as very juicy and seedless, with a refractometer reading a little above 14 °Bx and a possible hint of honey aroma. These reports describe different samples and maturity contexts, rather than a fixed cultivar value.^⁠[3]⁠[5]

Growth descriptions differ. Todolí describes a small, slightly open, productive tree with very low vigor and late flowering. UCR's 2011 conversation account instead describes vigorous Iwasaki growth on Carrizo citrange. The different settings and limited supporting detail do not establish a single vigor rating for all trees.^⁠[1]⁠[2]