POMELO, LIMAU BETAWI

Pomelo is the biggest of all citrus fruits; each fruit weighing from 0.5-1.4 kg. It is cultivated all over Malaysia and fruits all the year round. Pomelo trees are evergreen and grow to a height of 10 meters. The fruit is round with flattened tip. Its size varies from 12.5 to 25 cm across. The rough outer skin is light green to yellowish in colour while the inner skin is white to pinkish and spongy. The thickness of the skin varies from 0.6 to 2.5 cm. The edible part of the fruit is made up of 10-15 segments. It is juicy but may be sweet or sour. Two main forms with pale cream or pinkish colour are found. The seeds are about 1.2 cm long. Pomelo is a popular fruit, appearing specially at Chinese festive seasons. It can be propagated by seeds, marcotting or grafting. The Tambun fruits from Perak are famous throughout Malaysia.