Pummelo Citrus Tree

Pummelo (Citrus maxima) carries the largest fruit in the citrus family, a thick skinned globe that can weigh a kilogram or more and eats sweeter and milder than grapefruit. Left to its natural shape it makes a rounded evergreen tree of about 5m tall and 4m wide, dense enough to throw real shade over a seat. Heavy white blossom scents the garden in spring.

Why you'll love it

• Fruit you cannot easily buy. Pummelo rarely reaches Australian greengrocers in good condition, so a home tree is the practical way to eat it fresh.
• A shade tree that feeds you. At 5m by 4m it does the job of an ornamental feature tree while carrying a worthwhile crop.
• Fragrant spring blossom. Scent that carries across a courtyard, and reliable forage for bees and butterflies.
• Coastal tolerant. It takes salt laden wind better than most citrus, so it suits gardens near the water.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A single pummelo earns a prominent position in a warm garden: glossy evergreen foliage, scented blossom, then fruit hanging through the cooler months. Give it 4m of clear space.

Shade tree. The canopy is low branched and dense, which makes useful shade over a lawn or a paved sitting area within about six years.

Pots and courtyards. A pot 600mm wide or larger, with fast draining citrus mix, holds a grafted tree to roughly 2m to 2.5m. Potted citrus need water and feed far more often.

Growing pummelo in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun all day, with shelter from cold wind. Pummelo is at home in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, and takes light frost only. In cold inland and cool southern districts it needs a north facing wall or a pot that moves under cover for winter.

Soil. Free draining above everything else. Citrus roots rot in wet clay, so plant on a raised mound where drainage is poor. Slightly acidic to neutral soil suits it, with 75mm of mulch kept clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers, then weekly in dry spells. Feed a complete citrus fertiliser in late winter, mid spring and late summer. Yellowing between the veins usually means hunger rather than disease.

Pruning. Very little is needed. Remove shoots below the graft and take out crossing branches in late winter. Heavy pruning costs you a season of fruit.

What to expect when it arrives

Pummelo is sold here in one size, a 500mm pot: a substantial young tree with a formed trunk and branch framework rather than a whip. It has presence on day one and is usually two to three years from a worthwhile crop.

A tree this size is heavy, and some leaf drop after transit is normal rather than a fault. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Growing citrus trees in an Australian backyard
• Feeding, watering and pruning citrus
• Compare the citrus tree range
• Other fruit trees for the home garden

Common questions

What does a pummelo taste like?

Sweeter and far less bitter than grapefruit, with firm juice sacs that separate cleanly from the pith. The rind and pith are thick, so a large fruit yields less flesh than its size suggests.

How long until it fruits?

A 500mm grafted tree usually sets its first useful crop two to three years after planting. Remove the first few fruits so the tree puts its energy into roots and branches.

Will it grow in Melbourne or Adelaide?

Only in the warmest, most sheltered position, and it will not match a subtropical tree for fruit quality. A large pot that moves under cover through winter is the safer approach in cool temperate gardens.

Is citrus safe around pets?

Citrus oils in the leaves, skin and fruit are toxic to cats and dogs in quantity, though most pets avoid the taste. Pick up any dropped fruit if your dog is a chewer.