Pixie

Synonyms

None

Cultivar or taxon

Citrus reticulata Blanco (sensu Swingle and Reece 1967, Mabberley 1997, 2004; sensu Tanaka sec. Cottin 2002)

Origin

Hodgson (1967) noted that: "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)."

Description

Crown compact or dense, not weeping. First-year twig surface glabrous; second- or third-year twig surface striate; thorns absent or not persistent; prickles absent or not persistent. Petiole glabrous, length short; wings narrow, adjoining the blade. Leaflets one, margin entire or bluntly toothed, shade leaflet blades flat or weakly conduplicate, sun leaflet blades weakly conduplicate. Scent of crushed leaflets mandarin-like. Fruit broader than long; rind yellow-orange (11), orange (12), or red-orange (13); rind texture slightly rough (4-5); firmness leathery; navel absent; flesh orange; taste acidic-sweet.

Hodgson (1967) provided the following additional notes on the cultivar:

"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."

References

Cameron, J.W., R.K. Soost, and H.B. Frost. 1965. Encore and Pixie—two new mandarin hybrids with unusually late seasons of use. California Agricultural Expreiment Station Bulletin 814. 8 pp.

Cottin, R. 2002. Citrus of the World: A citrus directory. Version 2.0. France: SRA INRA-CIRAD.

Hodgson, R.W. 1967. Horticultural varieties of Citrus. In: Reuther, W., H.J. Webber, and L.D. Batchelor (eds.). The Citrus industry, rev. University of California Press. http://lib.ucr.edu/agnic/webber/Vol1/Chapter4.html.

Mabberley, D.J. 1997. A classification for edible Citrus (Rutaceae). Telopea 7: 167–172.

Mabberley, D.J. 2004. Citrus (Rutaceae): A review of recent advances in etymology, systematics and medical applications. Blumea 49: 481–498.

Swingle, W.T. and P.C. Reece. 1967. The botany of Citrus and its wild relatives. In: Reuther, W., H.J. Webber, and L.D. Batchelor (eds.). The Citrus industry. Ed. 2. Vol. I. University of California, Riverside. http://lib.ucr.edu/agnic/webber/Vol1/Chapter3.html.

Resources

Search for this cultivar in NCBI Entrez

Additional information on this cultivar at University of California: Riverside Citrus Variety Collection