I recently returned from Israel where I assisted harvesting this winter’s citrus crop in the kibbutz and moshav (farmers’ cooperative) communities that border the Gaza Strip.
Prior to October 7th, workers from Gaza and Thailand had been employed in these communities but since then, except for a few remaining Thais, the harvesting is now largely being done by volunteers who have come from all over the world to pick clementines, oranges, grapefruits, pomelos, and pomelitos. In one of the communities where I worked, there was a pomelito orchard. The pulp of a pomelito — which is a cross between a pomelo and a grapefruit — is juicier than that of a pomelo and intermediate in taste between a pomelo and a grapefruit — sweeter than the former and less acidic than the latter.
The parent pomelo (Citrus maxima) is the largest of all citrus fruits. It looks like a giant grapefruit, grows up to one foot in size and weighs up to seven pounds. It is one of the four tropical, Southeast Asian, ancestral citrus species, together with the citron (ancestor of the lemon), mandarin (ancestor of the orange and every other citrus fruit that’s orange in color), and pepeda (ancestor of the lime). Every citrus fruit traces its origin to the hybridization of these parental types. The common sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), for example, is approximately 58% mandarin and 42% pomelo.
The botanical name for a grapefruit tree is Citrus x paradisii. The x which separates the genus (Citrus) and species (paradisii) in any botanical name means that the plant in question is a hybrid. A grapefruit, so-called because its fruits hang in clusters like grapes, is a hybrid between the pomelo and the sweet orange (Citrus sinensis).
The grapefruit was created in the Caribbean although its parents both came from the other side of the globe. Orange seeds from China and pomelo seeds from Indonesia were brought to the island of Barbados, the most southeastern island in the Caribbean, not far from South America’s shores. The trees that sprouted from these seeds cross-pollinated, and the fruits that developed on one of the trees were grapefruits. In 1750, “forbidden fruit” was the name that was first given to it. George Washington, who visited Barbados in that same year, recorded in his journal that “the forbidden fruit” was offered to him one evening when he was dining out.
There is both contradiction and irony in grapefruit being named forbidden fruit. First of all, since it was a hybrid created with the help of human efforts, the grapefruit tree could hardly have been the tree upon which forbidden fruit grew in the Garden of Eden, which Adam and Eve occupied for less than one day. Yet, as modern pharmacology has demonstrated, grapefruit is a forbidden fruit for many people on account of its toxic interaction with a wide variety of medications. Grapefruit contains chemicals that block the enzyme that metabolizes many drugs so that these drugs quickly build up in a concentrated and toxic form. Many psychotropic drugs, including certain tranquilizers and anti-depressants, as well as some blood pressure stabilizers and sleeping pills, and certain HIV and ADHD medications, should not be taken with grapefruit juice and it is recommended that your physician be consulted regarding grapefruit interaction before taking any medication for the first time. Even a wake-me-up cup of coffee will have a stronger impact when drunk after imbibing a glass of grapefruit juice since the biochemicals in the juice prevent caffeine from breaking down so that it maintains its punch.
Getting back to the pomelito, the American version is known as Oro Blanco, typically referred to as a grapefruit — since it resembles one in size and color — despite its hybrid status as a cross between pomelo and grapefruit. The hybridization that created Oro Blanco was made in 1958 at the University of California, Riverside, and the fruit was released commercially in 1980. Although it is rare to see Oro Blancos at the grocery store, you can find sources for the trees here and there. Garden View Nursery (garden-view.com) in Irwindale grows Oro Blanco trees and if anyone knows of other sources, please advise.
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When working in the garden, putting stress on your back is all too common. Yet by adhering to one cardinal rule, garden back strain can be avoided: Keep your back straight, and remember not to bend at the waist. Plant seeds, ground covers and annual flowers, as well as vegetable and strawberry harvesting and weed pulling, should be done on your knees. Knee pads are part of every serious gardener’s wardrobe.
Hoeing, raking and shoveling should also be done with a straight back. What this means is that whatever is being hoed, raked or shoveled should be close to the trunk of your body. When you stretch out to rake leaves or put your shovel into a pile of mulch that is more than a few inches away from your center of gravity, you are putting stress on your back. When you put your shovel into the ground to dig a hole, you should be in an uncompromisingly vertical position; your foot should go straight down on the back of the shovel blade.
Always lift with a straight back. If the object to be moved is heavy, ask for assistance. Before lifting, bring the object as close as possible to your body and tighten your stomach muscles without holding your breath. Lift with your legs.
When putting objects or shoveling into a wheelbarrow, avoid bending down. Squat and bend your knees but not your back. Put the wheelbarrow as close as possible to whatever is being lifted or shoveled into it. Distribute loads evenly in the wheelbarrow bed. When pushing a wheelbarrow or lawn mower, do so with a straight back and arms close to your sides.
California native of the week: Blue elderberry (Sambucus mexicana) is either a huge shrub or a small to medium-sized tree, depending on its growing conditions. It illustrates what is true for many woody California natives: Given regular water, its mature size may eclipse the size of another plant whose water allotment came exclusively from winter rain. Thus, blue elderberry may grow 10 feet tall with an equal spread or it may reach 30 feet tall with a 20 foot spread. It all depends on available water and exposure, too, since a partial sun or even light shade exposure will be less stressful and therefore more conducive to robust growth than when this species is exposed to all-day sun. Although it is deciduous, its period of leaflessness is brief and it is one of the first plants to leaf out in the spring. By soaking its soil once every two weeks, you can prolong its leafiness deep into the fall. Creamy flower parasols may appear at any time from April to August and navy blue to black berries are visible in large clusters during September and October. When handling the fruit, which attracts birds, take care to wear old clothes since the stains it creates are permanent. The anthocyanin pigment which gives the fruit its color is the same pigment is found in varying concentrations in all fruits and vegetables that are red, blue, purple, or black in color.
Please send your questions and comments to Joshua@perfectplants.com.
