Fairchild

Synonyms

C48-14-39 (sec. Cottin 2002)

Cultivar or taxon

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

Origin

Hodgson (1967) notes that "This exceptionally early, high quality, new variety, which was released in 1964, originated from a cross of Clementine mandarin X Orlando tangelo made by J. R. Furr of the U.S. Department of Agriculture at the U.S. Date and Citrus Station, Indio, California (Furr 1964). Fairchild is recommended for the desert areas of California and Arizona, where it is believed it may prove superior to Clementine. Provision for cross-pollination is suggested until the facts in that connection have been determined."

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 medium; wings narrow, adjoining the blade. Leaflets one, margin bluntly toothed, shade leaflet blades weakly conduplicate, sun leaflet blades strongly conduplicate. Scent of crushed leaflets mandarin-like. Fruit broader than long, as broad as long, or longer than broad; rind yellow (7-10), 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) provides the following additional notes on the cultivar:

"Fruit medium in size and moderately oblate in form; rind medium-thin, moderately adherent but easily peelable; surface texture smooth; color deep orange. Flesh orange-colored; firm but tender and juicy; flavor rich and sweet. Seeds numerous, small, and polyembryonic. Early in maturity (about like Clementine but colors earlier).

Tree vigorous, broad-spreading with dense foliage, nearly thornless, and productive."

References

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.

Furr, J.R. 1964. New tangerines for the desert. California Citrograph 49: 266, 276.

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