Citrus
Kinnow Mandarin
Citrus reticulata 'Kinnow' · Rutaceae
Also called: Kinnow Tangerine, Kinnow
Kinnow Mandarin (Citrus reticulata 'Kinnow') is a moderate-water citrus well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a moderate to fast growth rate. Expect white, very fragrant blooms spring.
Kinnow Mandarin at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun (8+ hours). Provide afternoon shade and paint/wrap trunks on young trees to prevent Tucson sunburn.
- Mature size
- 12-18 ft tall, somewhat narrower; vigorous, somewhat upright/willowy mandarin.
- Growth rate
- Moderate to fast
- Bloom
- White, very fragrant, Spring (Mar-Apr).
- Cold hardiness
- USDA 9a-9b. Mandarins are among the hardier citrus; Kinnow tolerates brief lows near 26-28°F with minor damage. Heat-tolerant and well suited to hot, dry climates. Protect young trees in hard freezes.
- Soil
- Well-drained alkaline desert soil is fine. Break through caliche; ensure good drainage at planting.
- Native range
- Cultivar; a mandarin hybrid ('King' × 'Willowleaf') developed by H.B. Frost, University of California, 1915 (released 1935).
- Best used as
- Edible fruit (sweet-tart, easy-peel; fresh eating, juice), Backyard fruit tree, Pollinizer for self-incompatible citrus (e.g., Minneola tangelo)
- Wildlife
- Fragrant bloom attracts bees and pollinators.
- Toxicity
- Fruit edible/non-toxic to people. Peel oils mildly upsetting to dogs/cats; numerous seeds in the fruit.
How to grow Kinnow Mandarin in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Deep, infrequent irrigation: every 7-10 days in summer, every 3-4 weeks in winter; soak to ~3 ft deep across the canopy footprint and let the surface dry between waterings. Keep the trunk dry.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Nitrogen 3x/year (Feb, May, Aug/Sep), about 1-1.5 lb actual N/yr for a mature tree. Apply iron/zinc/manganese chelates for alkaline-soil micronutrient deficiencies; avoid late-fall nitrogen.
Pruning & care
Minimal. Remove deadwood, below-graft suckers, and crossing limbs in spring after frost. Thin slightly if heavily alternate-bearing. Maintain low skirts to shade the trunk.
Notes
Outstanding heat performer praised for hot, dry climates and proven in Arizona's low desert. Rich, sweet-tart, aromatic, easy-peel fruit — but notably seedy. Late-season mandarin: fruit matures mid-January and holds quality on the tree into March-April. Self-fruitful, and serves as a good cross-pollinizer for Minneola tangelo. Tends toward alternate (biennial) bearing. Plant in spring after frost.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, 'Low Desert Citrus Varieties' (AZ1001); UC Riverside Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection (Kinnow); UA Pima County Master Gardeners citrus guidance