Dekopon (Sumo)
Citrus reticulata × sinensis · Citrus
Top 10 pairings
The dekopon is the knobbed, seedless premium eating mandarin — a tangor bred in Japan from Kiyomi and ponkan and sold worldwide as Sumo Citrus. Instantly recognisable by the raised bump at its stem end, it is unusually large for a mandarin, peels away in a single sheet from a loose, bumpy rind, and eats intensely sweet and low in acid, with a firm, honeyed, seedless flesh that has made it one of the most sought-after fresh citrus of the winter season.
Picking a good onedrag
Heavy, tight-necked, fragrantLight, dry, grainy inside
Shop freshEveryday bestSnacking, segments over a salad, the zest for a cake.
Weight in handStill heavy, the thick rind giving a little under the thumb
The knobNeck firm, a fine crease ringing its base
RindDeep orange, matte, the odd pale scuff
Scratched peelWarm and honeyed when rubbed, less spray
Keeping ittap a temperature
A domestic fridge holds it about 2× longer than the counter.
90–95%
Humidity
Vented, not sealed
Airflow