madhukarkai :

Fruiting tree in Florida Photograph by: North Carolina State University Herbarium

Geographical distribution:

- Found throughout the Philippines, in settled areas, usually planted.

- Probably not a native of the Archipelago.

- Found throughout all warm countries.

- Native of the Old World.

ECOLOGICAL ASPECT:

- Light: Best production occurs in full sun, but most citrus varieties can tolerate partial shade, especially the thin shade from tall trees.

- Moisture: Like other citrus species, pomelo needs at least 100 - 112 cm (40-45 in) of water per year. Additional irrigation during the period of flowering and fruit development will improve production.

+ Plant Propagation

Like most citrus species and cultivars, the seeds of pomelo will come true (i.e., produce plants exactly like the mother tree). Pomelo can be propagated sexually by seed or asexually by air layering (marcotting), budding, grafting and stem cuttings. However, also like most citrus, pomelos are usually grafted onto rootstocks chosen for specific features, such as disease resistance, cold tolerance, or soil type.

In Southeast Asia, the most common propagation method is air layering. However, when there are certified disease-free mother plants, grafting and budding are recommended.

In the Philippines, shield budding is the standard budding method using calamandarin rootstocks. Calamandarin is believed to be a hybrid of the calamondin (x Citrofortunella microcarpa) and mandarin (Citrus reticulata).

In Florida, pummelos are often grafted onto trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) seedlings which provide increased cold hardiness and improved growth in sandy soils.

The rootstocks used are usually 2-3 year old seedlings and the scion (the top part that is grafted onto the rootstock) usually produces fruit within just 2 or 3 years after grafting. Plants grown from seed on their on roots may take 5-7 years to fruit.

Young pomelo trees awaiting sale at the nursery. In just a couple of years small nursery trees like the above will begin bearing.

Plant conservation:

Not Evaluated (NE)

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