All the California satsumas I can find here in California have all converged on the dekopon/Sumo taste and form. It’s confusing because the satsumas on Google images are still mostly the round ones without the bumps.

The prices vary wildly. At the end of the season I can find them in some ethnic grocers for $0.33 a pound while right now they’re $1.50-2 a pound. When they were first coming out years ago they were $4 a piece at Trader Joes.

There are dekopon trees that give fruit with the bump and without the bump. You may be finding the ones without the bump. But satsumas have a different enough flavor that you should be able to tell. Also, satsumas are smaller, more oblong, and tend to have a thinner skin.

Japan does have the bumpy ones. Clementines tend to be more thin-skinned.

I highly recommend trying a cold Sumo. Refrigerated sumos are a bit of an aranciata vibe.

Sumos are bright and brightly flavored fruit often have a better experience when chilled.

It depends on the season, but they tend to have too much acid at first. Leaving them in the fridge reduces the acid over time improves the flavor profile. But really you should refrigerate all citrus.

Nah. Mandarins I prefer at room temperature. But I refrigerate apples because I like the crunch.