How to Grow Pomelo in the US
Updated September 2026
The largest citrus, for frost-free gardens
Pomelo is the largest citrus fruit, often bigger than a grapefruit, with a very thick rind and sweet, mild segments with little bitterness. It is one of the parents of the grapefruit and a favorite in Southeast Asian kitchens.
It is also the least cold hardy citrus. Pomelo needs heat to sweeten and a spot free of hard frost, so the list of places it grows outdoors in the US is short.
Where Pomelo Grows in the US
Pomelo thrives in South Florida (zones 10b to 11b), where the cooler, drier months from October to March let roots settle before the summer rains. Buy certified trees and watch for citrus greening. In Central Florida it is frost tender, so skip midwinter planting: plant from February to April or in September and October, and cover young trees on frost nights. Hawaii's warm lowlands suit it well; plant in spring or fall and give it plenty of room.
In the Desert Southwest, plant in March or April once frost is past, in the warmest spot, and shade the trunk from summer sun. Southern California inland valleys suit it better than the coast; plant in March or April once nights warm. In Northern California and the Central Valley, plant in April or May in the warmest spot and cover young trees on frost nights.
North Florida and the Gulf South are not safe for pomelo outdoors, so grow it in a large container you can move under cover. In Texas it grows outdoors only in the warmest parts of the Rio Grande Valley. In the Mid-South, the Southern Plains, the Pacific Northwest, the Mid-Atlantic, the Northeast and New England, the Midwest and Great Lakes, the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains and the Mountain West, winters are too cold for citrus outdoors, so grow a dwarf tree in a container and bring it inside for winter. In Alaska keep the container indoors under grow lights. Pomelo is a big, vigorous tree, so it is harder to keep in a pot than a kumquat. Choose your region below for local planting months.
Varieties to Try
Chandler
A California pomelo with pink flesh and a sweet, juicy flavor. The variety most often sold in the US.
Honey pomelo
A pear-shaped Chinese type with pale, very sweet flesh and a thick, easy-peeling rind.
Tahitian
A pale green-fleshed pomelo with low acidity and a mild, sweet flavor, grown in Hawaii.
Oroblanco and Melogold
Pomelo and grapefruit crosses from California. They sweeten with less heat than pure pomelo and suit cooler valleys.
Planting
Plant in spring or early fall, in the months shown for your region, never in midwinter. Choose full sun, shelter from strong wind, and soil that drains well. The heavy fruit can snap branches on a windy site.
A pomelo tree grows about 13 to 23 feet tall and wide, so allow about 16 feet around it. Dig a hole no deeper than the root ball and twice as wide, keep the graft union above the soil, water in well and mulch, keeping mulch clear of the trunk.
Care and Pollination
Pollination: most pomelos sold for home gardens set fruit on a single tree, and bees help. Nearby citrus of other kinds can improve fruit set.
Feeding: Feed three times a year with a citrus-specific fertilizer: in early spring, late spring and midsummer. See our fertilizing guide for more on choosing and using fertilizer.
Water: pomelo is a thirsty tree with large leaves and fruit. Water deeply once or twice a week in hot, dry weather and keep a layer of mulch over the root zone.
Frost protection: cover young trees to the ground with frost cloth when frost is forecast, and water the soil the day before, since moist soil holds more warmth.
Support: thin heavy clusters in early summer and prop low branches carrying big fruit.
Pests and Diseases
These are the problems US gardeners are most likely to meet:
- Asian citrus psyllid: A tiny sap-sucking insect that spreads huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, the most serious citrus disease in the US. There is no cure once a tree is infected. Buy only certified, disease-free trees, do not move citrus plants or cuttings across state or quarantine lines, and report suspected HLB to your local agricultural extension office.
- Citrus canker: A bacterial disease found in Florida that leaves raised, corky spots with a yellow halo on leaves, twigs and fruit. It spreads in wind-driven rain and on tools. Prune out affected shoots in dry weather and clean your pruners between trees.
- Citrus leafminer: Silvery trails in new leaves. Spray new growth with horticultural oil.
- Scale: Brown or white bumps on stems and leaves. Spray with horticultural oil.
For detailed pest management instructions, see our organic pest management guide.
Harvest and Storage
Pomelos ripen from fall into winter. The rind usually turns from green to yellow-green or yellow, but some varieties stay green when ripe. Pick a heavy, fragrant fruit, taste it, and harvest the rest when the flavor is right. Clip the stem with pruners.
The thick rind lets pomelos keep for weeks. To eat, score and peel away the rind, then pull off the papery membrane around each segment.
Track Your Pomelo Tree
Add pomelo to your garden in the Planting Season app and get reminders for feeding, frost protection and harvest time.
Open the App →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a pomelo and a grapefruit?
Pomelo is an original citrus species and one of the parents of the grapefruit. Pomelos are larger, with a much thicker rind and sweeter, milder flesh with little bitterness.
Where can pomelo grow outdoors in the US?
South Florida and Hawaii suit it best. Central Florida, the Desert Southwest, Southern California inland valleys and Northern California can grow it in a warm spot with frost protection for young trees. It is not safe outdoors in North Florida, the Gulf South or most of Texas.
Can I grow a pomelo in a pot?
You can, in a large container moved under cover for winter, but pomelo is a big, vigorous tree and is harder to keep small than kumquat or Meyer lemon. Choose the largest pot you can move.
When is a pomelo ripe?
Pomelos ripen from fall into winter. A ripe fruit feels heavy, smells fragrant and often turns yellow or yellow-green, though some varieties stay green. Taste one before picking the rest.
See also: Pomelo in the Plant Library
