Citrus Growers Forum

serj · Posted: Wed 11 Apr, 2012 6:13 pm

I purchased one as graft on Oscar Tintori nursery. I searched some information about mentioned kumquat and find nothing.

Lemandarangequatelo · Citruholic Joined: 01 Mar 2010 Posts: 469 Location: UK

I have a very small tree of this variety also. I couldn't find any information on it either. Someone on this forum said it was a hybrid of calamondin and marumi kumquat if I remember correctly. The fruit is about 3cm wide, round, with a slight depression at the bottom like a mandarin. It tastes ok, mildly sweet, a little spicy, a little acidic. The skin is not sweet enough in my opinion, but I haven't had that many fruits to taste. Hopefully this year it will provide some fruits, last year it didn't do any.

Laaz · Posted: Thu 12 Apr, 2012 10:49 am

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kumquat-Citrus-fortunella-reale-20cm/dp/B002YE04KG

Looking at the photos here, it looks like a Changshou kumquat.

Have a look at my Changshou. (Fortunella Fukushu)

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Lemandarangequatelo · Citruholic Joined: 01 Mar 2010 Posts: 469 Location: UK

Beautiful Changshou you have Laaz. I'm certain the Reale is not the same though. Tintori grows and sells both varieties separately. The Changshou fruit is also huge compared to the Reale. I'm guessing the Changshou is about 2 inches in diameter, whereas the Reale is about an inch. How does the Changshou taste? Where do you rank it among your citrus for eating fresh out of hand?

Laaz · Posted: Thu 12 Apr, 2012 3:46 pm

I don't know, I don't eat kumquats but the kids love them.

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mrtexas · Posted: Fri 13 Apr, 2012 12:24 am

Lemandarangequatelo wrote:

Beautiful Changshou you have Laaz. I'm certain the Reale is not the same though. Tintori grows and sells both varieties separately. The Changshou fruit is also huge compared to the Reale. I'm guessing the Changshou is about 2 inches in diameter, whereas the Reale is about an inch. How does the Changshou taste? Where do you rank it among your citrus for eating fresh out of hand?

They taste nice and have a thick sweet skin but also a lot of sour juice. I use them for marmalade. I like changshou marmalade best of the many kinds I've made. I made 50 pints last year. Should have made some this year as my supply is low. All kumquats from my mature tree fell to the ground.

Lemandarangequatelo · Citruholic Joined: 01 Mar 2010 Posts: 469 Location: UK

Thanks for the info MrTexas! Changshou sounds great. Sorry to hear your kumquats fell off, I hope you have a better crop next year.

citrange · Posted: Sun 15 Apr, 2012 5:32 pm

ISA (Instituto Sperimentale Agrumicultura) is an Italian citrus research centre in Acireale, Sicily.
They have produced a range of ornamental and commercial varieties for distribution in Italy. One of them is 'Mandarino Reale' (translates as Royal Mandarin) which is actually a hybrid between clementine Monreal and Fortunella hindsii. This is a registered variety.
Details in Italian at
http://www.agrumicoltura.it/public/Img/121_Mandarino%20Reale.pdf
Mike/Citrange

serj · Posted: Wed 18 Apr, 2012 4:44 am

Thank you, Mike! It seems your information is true. I have two citrus, kumquat isa reale from Oscar Tintory and triploide reale from Cezch Republic. What do you think is there some difference beetween these specimens?

citrange · Posted: Wed 18 Apr, 2012 6:11 am

I cannot know for certain, but I guess these are probably the same.
Do they look the same to you?

Translated to English, the Italian ISA website says
Mandarin Reale: a hybrid triploid obtained from the crossing of the diploid clementine Monreale with the tetraploid Fortunella hindsii

Mike/Citrange
www.homecitrusgrowers.co.uk

serj · Posted: Wed 18 Apr, 2012 7:07 am

citrange wrote:

Do they look the same to you?

Yes, it does!