Pomelo

The pomelo tree may be 5–15 meters (16–50 feet) tall, possibly with a crooked trunk 10–30 centimeters (4–12 inches) thick, and low-hanging, irregular branches.

Leaf petioles are distinctly winged, with alternate, ovate or elliptic shapes 5–20 cm (2–8 in) long, with a leathery, dull green upper layer, and hairy underleaf.

The flowers — single or in clusters — are fragrant and yellow-white in color.

The fruit is large, 15–25 cm (6–10 in) in diameter, usually weighing 1–2 kilograms (2–4 pounds). It has a thicker rind than a grapefruit, and is divided into 11 to 18 segments. The flesh tastes like a mild grapefruit, with little of its common bitterness (the grapefruit is a hybrid of the pomelo and the orange). The enveloping membranes around the segments are chewy and bitter, considered inedible, and usually discarded.

There are at least sixty varieties. The fruit generally contains few, relatively large seeds, but some varieties have numerous seeds.

In Vietnamese culture, there is a type of fruit that is always present on the five-fruit tray of the altar every Tet holiday, which is the pomelo – a kind of citrus fruit. Pomelo is both delicious and nutritious, depicted as a symbol of perfection and completeness. Vietnamese locals have long been attached to this special fruit not only when eating, but also through childhood verses and songs.

This fruit is usually named after the province where it is found or planted.

Nam roi: specialties of Vinh Long province. It has a form similar to a pear. When ripe, the center is hollow and the skin is yellow with a rough surface.

Green skin (Da xanh): discovered in Thanh Tan commune, Mo Cay district, Ben Tre province. The name “Green skin” comes from the characteristics of the fruit that when ripe, the fruit remains green. The skin is usually thin and the center of the fruit is pink.

Depends on each type of pomelo, the origin and planting is different. Take the famous Nam Roi pomelo as an example, the fruit is widely grown in some Southwestern provinces of Vietnam, especially Vinh Long. This fruit specialty is delightful, nearly seedless, juicy, sweet, mixed with a mild acidity flavor. Its cousin, the Green skin pomelo, firstly grown in Cho Lach, Ben Tre, has been replicated in many places around Mekong Delta, providing a great source of income for Vietnamese farmers.