Pomelo: how many months does the largest citrus ripen in the world

Despite the fact that the pomelo appeared in the stores of our country about 10 years ago, it has been known for more than one hundred years, and in China these fruits were eaten even before our era. But some still treat him with slight suspicion, believing that this unusually large fruit is the result of the work of geneticists or appeared as a result of a mutation of grapefruit. Today we will walk around the plantations where pomelo are grown, and tell you more about this fruit.

To begin with, a pomelo is not a variety of grapefruit and not one of its hybrids, but an independent species from the genus of citrus called Citrus maxima. In our country, the British version of the name of this fruit is common - pomelo, in other countries of the world you can also find the names pompelmus, or sheddock. But the citrus fruit sweetie, or oroblanco, which recently appeared in Russia, is just a hybrid between pomelo and grapefruit.

Pomelo trees are powerful and sprawling, reaching a height of 8-10 meters. The fruits of this plant are the largest among all representatives of the citrus genus, and their weight can reach 8-10 kilograms, although on average this figure is in the range of 1-3 kilograms. The fruit ripens within 5-6 months. The peel of the fruits of the pomelo is rather thick, which can be attributed to the only drawback of the fruit. In general, the pomelo has a lot of positive qualities: its fruits are rich in potassium (235 mg / 100 g or daily potassium rate of 1 kg pomelo), it contains a lot of calcium and phosphorus, as well as vitamins, including C and group B. K its advantages can also be attributed to an affordable price and widespread use.

The homeland of the pomelo, like many citrus fruits, is Southeast Asia - the southern regions of China. But the neighbors quickly appreciated the delicious fruit, and began to grow pomelo in Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, India, and the islands of Indonesia. With the advent of the era of navigation, seeds of pomelo were brought to the islands of the Caribbean, where a similar climate made it possible to successfully cultivate this type of citrus.

Breeders bred several varieties of pomelo, which differ in the shape of the fruit, taste nuances and color of the pulp, from yellow-green to red-orange. The most common export fruit is a honey pomelo, which has a light yellow flesh and a yellowish-green peel.

The main supplier of pomelo to the world market today is China, where large areas are used for plantations of these citrus fruits.

But the pomelo is very much appreciated in China itself, so its trees can be found in many rural settlements in southern China.

Watch the video: How to Ripen Pomelos (May 2024).