I was able to pick up a Mato Buntan Pummelo, and was wondering a little more about this pummelo. How it might do in my area (San Diego county, CA near the coast), blossom time, harvest times, taste, etc. I've found a little bit of info on UCR's Citrus Variety Collection page, and on the Citrus Pages, but can't find when it should be ready to harvest ("late" was all I could find, so I'm assuming that's some time in the winter.) Anyone in my neck of the woods growing this and have some opinions they'd like to offer up?

Patty, I'm not in your area, but I can tell you a little something about Mato. I was attracted to Mato Butan, because of its being a VERY old Chinese cultivated variety, with accounts before <1400 AD. I would think the Chinese cultivated the Mato even many 100s of years before that (who knows how old). Harvest, November all the way to April. The fruit seems a bit dry for a pummelo but sweet. Of course Pummelos are a tropical fruit, but one thing in your favor is that the native area where these were origalally grown was at a low elevation along the Chinese coast line. The best to you and this tree, - Millet (512-)

Thanks, Millet. I have heard that they are supposed to do very well along our coastal areas, from San Diego up through Ventura/Santa Barbara. So pretty excited about being able to find this unusual pommelo, along with the new Valentine pommelo as well as a Ponkan mandarin and an Ortanique tangor. So, four new and more unusual varieties for me. Last citrus on my wish list is an Ugli tangor, which is proving to be rather tough to find. I may end up having to check around the CRFG's to see if anyone has this growing from their own graftings.

Pummelos are grown the same way navel oranges are cultivated. Ponkan and Ortanique, are two good varieties. Ponkan I believe is the largest sized Mandarin, with exceptional flavor. Oranique has a different flavor all it own. Patty, your on your way to building another California Citrus Variety Collection, good for you. - Millet (512-)

Thanks so much for the very nice compliment, Millet! I'm up to 31 different citrus varieties all in-ground. Most well known, and a smaller handful of rarer varieties. I do have one navel orange - a Cara Cara - which here tends to be ready around summertime here. But with the Muta, in saying "late", are they meaning fall/winter??

I'm not 100 percent for the San Dieago area, but I would not be surprized January+. Millet (512-)

Thanks, Millet. This is what I was thinking, as well - Dec through Feb. Okay, I'll update my spreadsheet, then. I keep one of all my fruit trees and list ripening times. I am going to work on a monthly calendar for next year that has my to-do's, as well as what's ripe in the garden each month. My poor older mind needs some reminding, lol!!