Shiranui aka Sumo

Shiranui (Sumo or Dekopon)

Shiranui was developed in 1972 at a government research station in Nagasaki, Japan, by crossing the Kiyomi tangor with the Ponkan mandarin. The fruit was initially passed over because of its odd, lumpy appearance. Once growers learned how sweet it became when allowed to mature fully, it became one of Japan’s most celebrated citrus fruits. In Japan it is known as Dekopon, and in the United States it is sold under the brand name “Sumo.”

The fruit is large and easy to identify by the prominent knob at the stem end. The loose, slightly bumpy rind slips off with almost no effort, and the segments separate cleanly. The flesh is exceptionally sweet, tender, and juicy, with very low acidity at peak ripeness and few to no seeds. In Japanese markets, premium Dekopon are often sold individually or given as gifts, and in U.S. grocery stores the fruit commonly sells for several dollars apiece.

At North Florida Citrus Nursery, our Shiranui trees let home growers produce a premium, hard-to-find fruit that is rarely available as a grafted tree in Florida.

Growing quirk: The fruit hangs through winter and stays tart until fully mature. Patience pays off, because flavor improves dramatically the longer it stays on the tree.