Pomelo
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2008-07-06T11:37:07Z
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{{Taxobox
| name = Pomelo
| image = Citrus grandis - Honey White.jpg
| image_width = 180px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| subclassis = [[Rosidae]]
| ordo = [[Sapindales]]
| familia = [[Rutaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Citrus]]''
| species = '''''C. maxima'''''
| binomial = ''Citrus maxima''
| binomial_authority = [[Elmer Drew Merrill|Merr.]]
}}
The '''pomelo''' (or '''Chinese grapefruit,''' '''pummelo,''' '''pommelo,''' '''Lusho Fruit,''' '''jabong,''' '''boongon,''' '''shaddock,''' '''limau bali,''' '''Balinese Citrus''', or '''suha'''), ''Citrus maxima'' ([[Elmer Drew Merrill|Merr.]], [[Nicolaas Larens Burman|Burm. f.]]), also ''Citrus grandis'' ([[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]), is a [[citrus]] fruit, usually a pale green to yellow when ripe, larger than a [[grapefruit]], with sweet flesh and thick spongy rind.
==Cultivation and uses==
The pomelo is native to [[Southeast Asia]], and grows wild on river banks in [[Fiji]], [[Tonga]], and [[Hawaii]]. It may have been introduced into [[China]] around 100 B.C. It is widely cultivated in southern China ([[Jiangsu]], [[Jiangxi]], and [[Fujian]] Provinces) and especially in central [[Thailand]] on the banks of the [[Tha Chin River]]; also in [[Taiwan]] and southernmost [[Japan]], southern [[India]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Myanmar]], [[Vietnam]], [[Malaysia]], [[Indonesia]], [[New Guinea]], [[Tahiti]], and the [[Philippines]]. It is also grown commercially (on a limited scale for ethnic and specialty grocers) elsewhere, particularly [[California]], [[Florida]], and [[Israel]]. Because of this limited production, pomelos typically sell for about 2 dollars apiece in the USA.
The pomelo is also known as a ''shaddock'', after an English sea captain, Captain Shaddock, who introduced the seed to the [[Caribbean|West Indies]] in the 17th century from the [[Malay Archipelago]]. In the Pacific and Asia, it is known as ''jabong'' and in [[Chinese language|Chinese]] it is called ''yòuzi'' (柚子) (not to be confused with the ''[[yuzu]],'' which uses the same [[Chinese characters]] but is a different species), while it is called ''som o'' (ส้มโอ) in [[Thai language|Thai]], ''bưởi'' in [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]] and {{nihongo|''buntan''|文旦}} or {{nihongo|''zabon''|朱欒}} in [[Japanese language|Japanese]]. In [[Burmese language|Burmese]] it is called ''kywègaw thee'' in the south and ''shaupann thee'' in upcountry.
The pulp colour ranges between clear pale yellow to pink to red, and tastes like a sweet, mild [[grapefruit]] - it has very little or none of the common grapefruit's bitterness, but the membranes of the segments are bitter and usually discarded. It is the largest citrus fruit, growing as large as 30 cm in diameter and weighing as much as 10 kg; the peel is thick, and is sometimes used to make [[marmalade]]. One way to eat the pomelo is to remove the rind, then peel the segments themselves to obtain the juice vesicles or 'flesh' (see Gallery, below). Another way is to blend the fruit including its white membranes, to produce a [[purée]]. Candied then dipped in chocolate, the rind makes a magnificent grapefruity confection.
The finest variety (at least per California citrusmen) is considered to be the Chandler, which has a smoother skin than many other varieties. The photo above shows an almost-ripe Chandler (though it would still be good eating). In Vietnam, a particularly well known variety called ''bưởi Năm Roi''<!--note: keep capitals on Năm Roi because it's a proper name--> is cultivated in the [[Vinh Long Province]] of the [[Mekong Delta]] region.
The [[tangelo]] is a hybrid between the pomelo and the [[tangerine]]. It has a thicker skin than a tangerine and is less sweet.
The peel of the pomelo is also used in Chinese cooking or candied. In general, citrus peel is often used in southern Chinese cuisine for flavouring, especially in [[Tong sui|sweet soup desserts]].
==Production==
[[Image:2005grapefruit and pomelo.PNG|thumb|[[Grapefruit]] and Pomelo output in 2005]]
The United States of America is the top producer of [[grapefruit]] and pomelo, followed by China and Mexico.
{| border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="100%" class="wikitable" align=left style="clear:left"
! colspan=5|Top Ten [[Grapefruit]] and Pomelo Milk Producers — 2005
|-
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="30%" | Country
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="25%" | Production (Int $1000)
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="10%" | Footnote
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="25%" | Production (MT)
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="10%" | Footnote
|-
| {{USA}} || 155,940 || C || 914,440 ||
|-
| {{PRC}} || 57,128 || C || 443,000 || F
|-
| {{MEX}} || 43,947 || C || 257,711 || F
|-
| {{ISR}} || 42,632 || C || 250,000 || F
|-
| {{CUB}} || 38,540 || C || 226,000 || F
|-
| {{RSA}} || 36,212 || C || 212,348 ||
|-
| {{ARG}} || 28,990 || C || 170,000 || F
|-
| {{TUR}} || 25,580 || C || 150,000 ||
|-
| {{IND}} || 24,215 || C || 142,000 || F
|-
| {{TUN}} || 12,278 || C || 72,000 || F
|-
|colspan=5 style="font-size:.7em"|No symbol = official figure,F = FAO estimate, * = Unofficial figure, C = Calculated figure;<br>
Production in Int $1000 have been calculated based on 1999–2001 international prices<br>
Source: [http://www.fao.org/es/ess/top/commodity.html?lang=en&item=507&year=2005 Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic And Social Department: The Statistical Devision]
|}
{{-}}
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Pummelos.jpg|Pomelos
Image:Pummelo_cut.jpg|Pomelo after being cut
Image:Pummelo_sectioned.jpg|Pomelo after being sectioned
Image:Pummelo_flesh.jpg|Flesh of the pomelo
Image:Citrus maxima0.jpg|Pomelo on tree
Image:Mid-Autumn Festival 33, Chinatown, Singapore, Sep 06.JPG|[[Ipoh]] pomelos on sale at [[Chinatown, Singapore]]
Image:Pomelo3.jpg|Fruit on tree; from the Philippines
Image:Pomelo flower.jpg|Pomelo flower in early April.
</gallery>
Jamaica
== See also ==
* [[Grapefruit]]
* [[Sweetie (fruit)|Sweetie]]
* [[Orange (fruit)| Orange]]
==External links==
{{Commons|Citrus maxima}}
* [http://www.newyorkmag.com/nymetro/food/inseason/10863/ Pomelo]
* [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/12/25/HOG7FAFSVC1.DTL&type=printable Pomelo]
* [http://starbulletin.com/2003/01/22/features/ingredient.html Jabong]
* [http://www.thailex.info/THAILEX/THAILEXENG/lexicon/pomelo0.htm Pomelos on the branch]
<!--categories-->
[[Category:Citrus]]
[[Category:Christmas food]]
[[Category:Flora of Indonesia]]
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