Murcott Mandarin

Murcott’s original parents are unknown. UCR reproduces the historical view that it is a tangor probably associated with the USDA citrus breeding program in Florida, but the original cross and records have not been recovered.^⁠[1]

Murcott has medium-sized, rounded to flattened fruit with orange flesh and a thin, closely attached rind. The 1967 description gives 11–12 segments and variable seediness, and describes juicy fruit with a rich flavor. It reports moderate holding on the tree and some granulation; UCR’s later notes describe moderate peeling, whereas the historical account describes a more adherent peel.^⁠[1]

Trees are moderately vigorous, upright and willowy, with fruit often exposed near the outer canopy. UCR describes alternate bearing and the risk of carbohydrate exhaustion and tree collapse after excessive cropping. The historical account also reports vulnerability to cold and exposed-fruit injury from wind, frost and sunburn, without a measured temperature threshold.^⁠[1]

Honey Murcott is a historical marketing name for this variety. The 1967 account recommended the name Murcott to avoid confusion with the separate California Honey mandarin, and also discouraged the later name Smith.^⁠[1]

The oldest known tree in the historical commercial lineage was on Charles Murcott Smith’s former property at Bayview, Clearwater, and was thought to have been budded around 1922. Its possible connection through R. D. Hoyt to USDA material predating 1916 remains undocumented. Indian Rocks Nursery propagated Honey Murcott commercially in 1928; the historical account credits J. Ward Smith’s 1944 planting near Brooksville with bringing it to prominence.^⁠[1]

UCR received accession CRC 3846 / PI 539521 as budwood from the USDA Date and Citrus Station at Indio through CCPP in 1961. Its Riverside ripening window is January–March; this collection-specific timing varies with climate and growing conditions.^⁠[1]