Just picked up this new to me cultivar at Evergreen Nursery in Oceanside, CA today. I don't really know much about this cultivar. I see it's a cross between Dancy and some Clementine, on the early side, so that's a plus. From New Zealand, originally. Popular in desert areas (I guess it's very popular in Israel?) Both cultivars are nice mandarins, so hoping it tastes good. Suspecting it is an alternate bearer, and it is LOADED with fruit. I'm going to wait to drop it in the ground, as we're having unGodly hot and humid temps here (it was 88 with 77% humidity here yesterday evening at 6:00 pm, I thought I was going to melt on the spot, thank goodness for swimming pools!!)

http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/michal.html

Nice find! let us know what you think when you taste them.

I sure will, Ryan. There are about 100 medium sized fruit on this 15 gal. tree! So, typically an alternate bearer, no doubt. Reminds me of my Honey mandarin. Unfortunately, they are both going to bear the same year, darn!

"Early easy peeler Michal is probably a natural hybrid of a Clementine with Tangor Dancy, which was identified in Israel by Clone selection. This is one of the most favorite varieties for the local market. A seeded fruit which is characterized by deep orange colour, easy to peel and the good taste especially appropriate to Israeli palate resulting from high sugar and low acid content.
The fruit is available in market from late October to mid-January."
http://mfruits.net/index.php?productID=2578

Thanks so much, Rad! Just really no info about this cultivar in California. I'm probably one of the few people who are actually growing this mandarin. Saved the info to my spreadsheet.