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{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; width: 320px; margin-left: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 1em;"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background: #e8e8e8;" | Pomelo (''Citrus maxima'')
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [[File:Pomelo fruit.jpg|thumb|center|250px|Pomelo fruit with opened segments; photo by Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0.[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]]]
|-
! Scientific name
| ''Citrus maxima'' [[#cite_note-1|[1]]][[#cite_note-2|[2]]]
|-
! Common names
| Pomelo; pummelo; shaddock
|-
! Genus
| [[Citrus]]
|-
! Family
| [[Rutaceae]]
|-
! Order
| [[Sapindales]]
|-
! Growth form
| Low-branching evergreen tree, usually 5–10 m and occasionally about 15 m tall [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]
|-
! Native range
| Eastern Asia to Malesia is given in older botanical treatments; a truly wild native situation is not established [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]
|-
! Climate and site
| Warm tropical to subtropical; full sun, deep moisture-retentive soil, and good drainage [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]
|-
! Propagation
| Fresh seed; polyembryonic seedlings, cuttings, air-layering, and grafting are reported [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]
|-
! Fruit
| Large citrus fruit with thick rind and segmented flesh; cultivar texture and seed content vary [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]
|-
! Years to fruit
| N/A; a dependable species-wide bearing-age range is not established in the retrieved sources
|-
! Harvest
| Timing varies by climate and cultivar; Thai production includes cooler, drier months and a 3–4-month dry season [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]
|}

'''Pomelo''' or '''pummelo''' ('''''Citrus maxima''''') is a large-fruited evergreen citrus cultivated across tropical and subtropical regions. It is distinct from grapefruit and from other citrus hybrids; older literature also uses names such as ''Citrus grandis'' and ''Citrus decumana''. [[#cite_note-1|[1]]][[#cite_note-2|[2]]]

== Description ==

''Citrus maxima'' forms a low-branching tree with spreading branches. Wild-type or seedling trees may carry spines up to about 5 cm, while some cultivated forms are spineless. The fruit has a thick rind and large segments of pale to coloured flesh; selected cultivars may have thin rind, crisp flesh, and few or shrivelled seeds. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

The individual species identity is important because common names and older combinations overlap with grapefruit and related citrus. The accepted genus, family, and order are [[Citrus]], [[Rutaceae]], and [[Sapindales]]. The retrieved horticultural treatment covers the tree, climate, soil, propagation, and fruit variation.[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

[[File:Citrus maxima0.jpg|thumb|left|240px|''Citrus maxima'' identified as a Rutaceae species on the Commons file page; photo by Kurt Stüber, CC BY-SA 3.0.[[#cite_note-5|[5]]]]]

== Cultivation ==

Pomelo grows in tropical, subtropical summer-rain, and winter-rain climates. A Thai production profile describes mean monthly temperatures around 25–30 °C, several cooler and drier months, and a dry season lasting about 3–4 months, but that schedule is cultivation context rather than a universal species calendar. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

=== Soil and water ===

Provide deep, well-drained but moisture-retentive loam. The cited horticultural profile gives a preferred soil reaction around pH 5–6 and indicates that irrigation is needed when dry periods extend beyond about three months. Mulch can moderate drying, but the root zone must not remain saturated. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

=== Sun and humidity ===

Full sun supports flowering and fruit quality. An open site with airflow is preferable to dense enclosure, while reliable soil moisture is important during active growth and fruit enlargement. Excessive heat and cold both reduce growth; the general citrus profile places productive conditions near 25–30 °C and reports growth cessation below about 13 °C or above about 38 °C. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

=== Seasonal changes ===

Pomelo is evergreen and does not have a single species-wide flowering and harvest calendar in the retrieved material. In production areas with a marked dry season, the cooler and drier months may be part of the crop cycle; adjust irrigation before prolonged dryness and expect flowering and harvest dates to shift with cultivar, latitude, temperature, and rainfall. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

== Propagation ==

Sow fresh seed promptly. Seedlings are often polyembryonic, so more than one seedling may emerge and some seedlings can be genetically similar to the mother plant. Half-ripe cuttings and air-layering are reported; grafting is the practical method for maintaining a named cultivar and its fruit characteristics. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

== Flowering, fruiting, and harvest ==

The retrieved evidence does not establish a reliable species-wide years-to-fruit value. Seedling and grafted trees should therefore be recorded by cultivar, rootstock, planting site, and climate rather than assigned one expected bearing age. Harvest timing likewise varies: leave fruit until the rind and flesh have developed the intended cultivar quality, then record the local calendar for future crops. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

== Fruit and uses ==

Pomelo is eaten fresh by separating the segments and removing the thick membrane. Flesh may be pale, pink, or red depending on the cultivar, with sweetness, acidity, juiciness, and seed content varying among selections. The rind is also used in preserves and other processed foods. [[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

== Photos ==
[[File:Pomelo flesh.jpg|240px|Pomelo flesh with two seeds; photo by Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0.[[#cite_note-6|[6]]]]]

== References ==
* [[#cite_ref-1|↑]] '''[1]''' [https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/match?name=Citrus%20maxima GBIF species match: ''Citrus maxima'']. Accepted species match; Rutaceae; Sapindales. Accessed 2026-08-28.

* [[#cite_ref-2|↑]] '''[2]''' [https://powo.science.kew.org/results?q=Citrus%20maxima Plants of the World Online search: ''Citrus maxima'']. One species result and current taxonomic lead. Accessed 2026-08-28.

* [[#cite_ref-3|↑]] '''[3]''' [https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Citrus+maxima Useful Tropical Plants: ''Citrus maxima'']. Habit, cultivation climate, soil, propagation, fruit, and nomenclatural history. Accessed 2026-08-28.

* [[#cite_ref-4|↑]] '''[4]''' [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomelo_fruit.jpg Wikimedia Commons: ''Pomelo fruit.jpg'']. Pomelo fruit and segments; creator and CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed 2026-08-28.

* [[#cite_ref-5|↑]] '''[5]''' [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Citrus_maxima0.jpg Wikimedia Commons: ''Citrus maxima0.jpg'']. Species and family identification on file page; creator and CC BY-SA 3.0 license. Accessed 2026-08-28.

* [[#cite_ref-6|↑]] '''[6]''' [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomelo_flesh.jpg Wikimedia Commons: ''Pomelo flesh.jpg'']. Pomelo flesh and seeds; creator and CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed 2026-08-28.

== Image credits ==
* Summary image: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomelo_fruit.jpg Ivar Leidus], pomelo fruit with segments; CC BY-SA 4.0; changes not made.
* Description image: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Citrus_maxima0.jpg Kurt Stüber], ''Citrus maxima'' file identified as a Rutaceae species; CC BY-SA 3.0; changes not made.
* Photos image: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomelo_flesh.jpg Ivar Leidus], pomelo flesh with two seeds; CC BY-SA 4.0; changes not made.

[[Category:Fruits]]
[[Category:Tropical fruit plants]]
[[Category:Citrus]]

Citrus maxima - Revision history

47.214.193.24: Wikifruit: independently reviewed article maintenance

47.214.193.24: Publish fact-checked fruit article with verified media