Author Topic: best Pummelo?  (Read 2242 times)

brian

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3356
    • Pennsylvania (zone 6) w/ heated greenhouse
    • View Profile
best Pummelo?
« on: February 16, 2021, 10:34:18 PM »
Any opinions on the best pummelo available?  In the USA, I guess.  I really like Chandler, but I haven't tried much else.

Yorgos

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 306
    • USA, Houston, Texas USDA zone 9a
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2021, 06:04:32 PM »
They all taste dry and lack that certain je ne sais quoi. My 10 year old chandler is now in the compost because the fruit was pathetic, though of an impressive size to be sure. Was productive too.  But who wants a productive, dry, tasteless fruit?  Ujukitsu will be similarly 86’d. 
Near NRG Stadium, Houston Texas. USDA zone 9a

brian

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3356
    • Pennsylvania (zone 6) w/ heated greenhouse
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2021, 07:25:06 PM »
The dry flesh is a big upside for me, I like that i can pull it apart and eat the flesh without gettinf juice everywhere.  And they have a somewhat unique taste for citrus.

W.

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 647
    • United States, Alabama, 7b
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2021, 03:21:22 PM »
Chandler pomelo is one of my favorite fruits, even though the only ones I have had have been from the grocery store. I remember reading a pomelo comparison on a website once, though I cannot remember where. It was done between several different pomelo varieties being grown in Southern California. I believe Chandler came in dead last, which makes me wonder how great those other varieties are.

sc4001992

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3900
    • USA, CA, Fullerton
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2021, 04:02:21 PM »
Brian, you should try Thong Dee, very good and probably one of the largest ones.








« Last Edit: February 21, 2021, 04:04:14 PM by sc4001992 »

brian

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3356
    • Pennsylvania (zone 6) w/ heated greenhouse
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2021, 04:53:02 PM »
Chandler pomelo is one of my favorite fruits, even though the only ones I have had have been from the grocery store. I remember reading a pomelo comparison on a website once, though I cannot remember where. It was done between several different pomelo varieties being grown in Southern California. I believe Chandler came in dead last, which makes me wonder how great those other varieties are.

W., I also have only tried chandler from grocery store (and now my own tree) and I think I saw the same website you did :)

Sc, thanks for the Thong Dee suggestion.  I will look around and see if I can find and grafted ones, or scion.

Ckitto

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 56
    • USA, CA, Hacienda Heights
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2021, 05:50:20 AM »
If I may ask, which Thong Dee to order from CCPP as I saw two listed? I grafted the CRC 3927 last January onto my mature Tangelo tree and two of them took but almost zero growth. The Scions are still green. My Tahitian Pomelo grafted the same day have been vigorous. Should I try my luck with the Thong Dee CRC4027? The CRC 3927 is out of stock.

sc4001992

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3900
    • USA, CA, Fullerton
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2021, 02:12:47 PM »
I think my Thong Dee in the photo is CRC 4027, it does not have any pink coloration. The description of CRC 3927 says fruit inside is tinged pink, mine is not.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2021, 07:02:30 PM by sc4001992 »

eyeckr

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 219
    • Virginia Beach, VA
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2021, 07:31:30 PM »
SC4001992's Thong dee is super impressive and excellent. One fruit could feed a family!

Ckitto

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 56
    • USA, CA, Hacienda Heights
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2021, 10:13:58 PM »
Thanks. I ordered the scion. Hopefully I get to try it very soon.

pinkturtle

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 862
    • LA county, CA Zone 10B
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2021, 11:48:35 AM »
Here is link to the fruits taste test done by fruit mentor.  Very interesting.

https://www.fruitmentor.com/californiapummelos


brian

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3356
    • Pennsylvania (zone 6) w/ heated greenhouse
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2021, 12:40:39 PM »
Here is link to the fruits taste test done by fruit mentor.  Very interesting.

https://www.fruitmentor.com/californiapummelos

Ah, yes that's the article.  I strongly disagree with most of the opinions in it, but it is nice to see the varieties listed out. 

vstolbi

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 41
    • East Coast US borderline 7b/8a
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2021, 01:48:57 PM »
SC4001992's Thong dee is super impressive and excellent. One fruit could feed a family!

Any idea where one can buy that tree? :)

sc4001992

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3900
    • USA, CA, Fullerton
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2021, 07:13:28 PM »
I have all of those pummelos mentions in the article. I have been growing them for some time now and got rid of a few of them (bad taste).

Here's how I would rank them for my favorite (only my taste preference).
1. Valentine
2. Thong Dee
3. Cocktail
4. Melogold
5. Reinking
6. Chandler
7. Oroblanco
8. Tahitian

My trees that are the most productive yearly are the Valentine, Cocktail, Melogold & Oroblanco.

poncirsguy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 713
    • Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 6a/6b
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2021, 07:55:47 PM »
All I have is Valentine.  Good to know its the best.

CherimoyaDude

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 188
    • San Francisco / Santa Barbara
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #15 on: February 23, 2021, 09:23:07 PM »
I really want to try Tahitian.

brian

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3356
    • Pennsylvania (zone 6) w/ heated greenhouse
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #16 on: February 23, 2021, 09:37:12 PM »
I have a Valentine but its first crop for me wasn't as good as Chandler.  I'm hoping it improves next year, sometimes I just get a bad citrus crop on some trees. 
I really dislike the 'Sweetie' type... Oroblanco?  Which is always highly rated.  I suspect there is either a lot of crop variance or a lot of subjectivity in people's pummelo tastes.

EricSC

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 208
    • san diego
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #17 on: February 23, 2021, 10:37:44 PM »
brian,

I found people can be divided as two groups those prefer some sour and those not.  Even in my family of 4: 2 like oranges and mandarins with some sour and zing, the other two prefers less sour and zing.

Millet

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4798
    • Colorado
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #18 on: February 23, 2021, 10:46:59 PM »
Valentine is basically just sweet. I have a large in ground full grown Valentine tree (11-ft. tall and 13-ft wide).   When the fruit is picked completely ripe there is no hint of acid in the fruits taste....just sweet. I tend to like both acidic and sweetness.  I have picked some early, before they have even developed red flesh.  Better, but not close to excellent for sure.  My wife has a sweet tooth, she  loves them.

sc4001992

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3900
    • USA, CA, Fullerton
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #19 on: February 24, 2021, 12:40:36 AM »
Yup, I agree. Valentine doesn't have much acid/tart taste at all as Millet said. For those that like Sweet & Sour the Valentine is not the one for you.

Seanny

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1119
    • Garden Grove, Orange County, California, 10B
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #20 on: February 24, 2021, 05:09:46 PM »
I have a big Chandler.
I grafted Valentine last August but it only flushing now.
Does Valentine have  a little off taste like Chandler and other pummelo?

sc4001992

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3900
    • USA, CA, Fullerton
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #21 on: February 25, 2021, 12:56:48 AM »
No off taste.

Seanny

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1119
    • Garden Grove, Orange County, California, 10B
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #22 on: February 25, 2021, 03:18:33 PM »
Sounds like a great variety for my women.

sc4001992

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3900
    • USA, CA, Fullerton
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #23 on: February 25, 2021, 04:16:37 PM »
Seanny, when I give the Valentine fruits to friends and family they all say how terrific it is and the best citrus they have tasted.
One family friend has been asking me for the Valentine fruits every year on Christmas/New Year and their family always look forward to eating this fruit.

But if you want to give the fruit with the red flesh inside then you need to let the fruits stay yellow on the tree until Feb 14 (valentine day) and it will have the coloration. Otherwise it may only have a slight red coloration. If you have not seen my photo I posted on another thread, here's what the fruit looks like.




Seanny

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1119
    • Garden Grove, Orange County, California, 10B
    • View Profile
Re: best Pummelo?
« Reply #24 on: February 25, 2021, 10:19:58 PM »
Looks good.
Thx.