Description
Dwarf Mandarin Engall’s Seedless (Citrus unshiu ‘Okitsu’)
The Robbie Engall’s Seedless mandarin was a variety of Satsuma mandarin (similar to the Okitsu Wase) selected for cultivation by the late Robbie Engall.
As part of the Satsuma family, it can tolerate cooler temperatures quite well, though being grown at our nursery in Dural, NSW, it may take a bit of time to get used to cooler climates.
The tree has a slightly drooping or weeping growth habit which can look quite decorative, especially in a pot. It’s relatively compact, but regular pruning would definitely help keep it in a nice shape.
The dwarf tree can grow to about 1 – 1.5m in its lifetime, so even if it’s grown in a pot, it could potentially reach its full height if the pot is large enough to support it.
While it can be a bit of a slower grower, it’s a strong producer when mature. This variety in particular can fruit very, very heavily, with fruit sometimes growing in bunches very close together.
Crop management (removing some of the fruit) is recommended to keep the limbs and tree from breaking under the heavy fruit load.
Mandarins are sometimes known to skip a season of fruiting at times, especially after a really large crop. Regular care, feeding, and thinning out your crop can sometimes help mitigate this.
With large crops, at times, the fruit tends to be on the smaller side. Taking some off when it’s still green can encourage fruit to grow a little bigger when ripe, which is another nice little benefit of adding crop management to your regular citrus maintenance.
The Engall’s Seedless mandarin has a puffy skin that’s mostly separate from the inner flesh making it very easy to peel. Depending on the weather, fruit can start to ripen from April, which often means it’s one of the first citrus to ripen in the garden. This early harvest time makes a great companion for other mandarins, like the Imperial or Emperor, which start to ripen a little later in the season.
For our citrus care recommendations, please check our Help & Advice page!