A version of this story appears in the February 2017 issue of National Geographic magazine. Citrus, in many ways, stands alone. So many cultivated species have come from so few primary ancestors.

Before planting clear the area of all grass and weeds. Add 4 to 5 shovelfuls of organic matter like peat moss or manure to amend sandy soils. Citrus trees will not tolerate sitting in wet soil so ...

We are used to valorising the mango as our ‘national fruit’ and rightly so ... The mandarin orange is apparently the most grown among citrus fruits in India. It occupies over 40 percent ...

Scab, melanose and greasy spot are all diseases of fruit and leaves of citrus trees. Copper fungicide sprays will bring these diseases under control if they get out of hand. It is best to depend ...