Grapefruit

[Kathryn]

I’d like to purchase a grapefruit tree for a friend of mine. I briefly searched the web, but didn’t find much information that was helpful. My local ag center recommends ruby red, but doesn’t give any reason why. The size of the tree doesn’t matter, but it needs to be able to take temperatures in the low 20’s once established. What variety has the best tasting fruit? Where can I order one on-line?

[fastfeat]

Grapefruit is the most tender of the commonly-grown citrus. Low 20s will probably be tough.

Might check with CA or FL ag depts for most cold-tolerant cultivars.

Good luck.

[_Keith]

When we move a couple of years ago, I left behind a Ruby Red that was extremely large and productive.   It froze back to the central stalk in the hard freeze of 2001 (24 degrees) when it was still small.   I had not protected since, nor had it sustained any damage.  It literally made hundreds of grapefruit each year.

I replaced it with a Rio Red that is great, taste and appearance wise.    It is still small, but I gave it no protection last year, even during our 26 degree low.  No damage at all.

[cagary]

Here in south Orange County, California, the best tasting grapefruit is actually a hybrid called "Cocktail Grapefruit".

Its a cross between a Frua Mandarin and a Pummelo.

I also grow and enjoy the Oro Blanco and Melogold Pummelo/ Grapefruit hybrids.

Grapefruits just aren't sweet enough when grown around here. They need AZ or TX heat to really sweeten up.

If you don't have real heat, try a hybrid!

[weldertom]

Kathyrn-

I had a Ruby Red in that was insanely sweet - It was on my property when I bought it. (Melbourne Beach,FL) It was probably an older cultivar/hybrid as it was a very large tree and produced LOTS of fruit.

I never was all that in to Grapefruit until I had that tree. This particular tree, after a couple of moderate cold fronts, was the sweetest .Vodka with a squeeze of lime was the companion of choice when enjoying it in the evening. In the morning, chilled and sectioned .

Alas, Charley ,Frances,then Jeanne had their way with it 2004 and it is no more.

My 2cents : get a Ruby Red.  

Perhaps you can create a microclimate that is easily protected on those "once every three or five year freezes" in S.Louisiana.

[_Keith]

(cagary @ Mar. 30 2008,18:05)

QUOTE

Here in south Orange County, California, the best tasting grapefruit is actually a hybrid called "Cocktail Grapefruit".

Its a cross between a Frua Mandarin and a Pummelo.

This is quite intriguing.    Little chance of finding one here.  If I Paypal the cost of purchase and shipping is anyone interested in sending me one, please, pretty please.

[DoomsDave]

Have you thought of other citrus, like kumquats and their various hybrids?  They're great to cook with.  Kumquat duck makes duck l'orange taste like [expletive] with that marvelous tart-sweet taste.

[cagary]

(keiththibodeaux @ Mar. 31 2008,18:43)

QUOTE

(cagary @ Mar. 30 2008,18:05)

QUOTE

Here in south Orange County, California, the best tasting grapefruit is actually a hybrid called "Cocktail Grapefruit".

Its a cross between a Frua Mandarin and a Pummelo.

This is quite intriguing.    Little chance of finding one here.  If I Paypal the cost of purchase and shipping is anyone interested in sending me one, please, pretty please.

Clifton's will send you one if LA will let it in to the state.                       http://www.buyplantsonline.com/cocktail-grapefruit.html

[Xavierdlc61887]

ruby red.....im slobbering already they arent tart like other grapefruits....they are on the sweet side soooooooooo if u get one get a ruby red

[Kathryn]

Thanks for all the responses.

I read about a new sweeter variety developed in Florida to attract a new generation of grapefruit eaters - it’s called “early sweet”. Unfortunately, the fruit is very pale and I guess it probably doesn’t have the same nutritional qualities of the red varieties. Also, I didn't find any of these trees available for sale.

Gary - What color is the fruit of a Cocktail Grapefruit?

I guess I will get a ruby red or possibly a rio red. I’ll check out some nurseries this weekend to see what is available.

Keith - Did you get yours locally or on-line? I found places on-line that sell 7-gallon ruby red plants for just under $100 with shipping. I’d like to buy a larger one, but don’t know what I might find locally.

From what I’ve read and seen around here, most grapefruit can take temperatures into the low 20’s once established. It only gets this cold every few years or so and may cause defoliation, but no permanent damage. I make sure they protect the tree if needed during the first few years.

Dave - One of my neighbors behind me has a kumquat tree that hangs nicely over the fence - plenty of fruit available for the taking.

[Alan_Tampa]

Try the pomello, much better tasting fruit and at least one variety has good cold hardiness, Harodo Bhutan.  ( I may have spelled that wrong).  They taste like a sweet grapefruit do not make so many fruit as to be a nuisance and are so much bigger than the average grapefruit (one of mine was 4lbs this year) that people are really impressed by them.  The H Bhutan is rumored to take about 22F.  Mine has never been damaged (have seen about 26F or so)

Anyway good luck with the fruit search.

Alan

[Kathryn]

Here is some interesting information from a Texas web site:

Grapefruit apparently originated as a natural mutation of the shaddock or pummelo somewhere in the West Indies. It was first described in 1750 in Barbados, while the first record of the term grapefruit occurred in 1814 in Jamaica. Credit for its introduction to the United States in accorded to Count Odette Phillipe, a Spanish don, who planted it in Pinellas County, FL, about 1823. That grapefruit originated as mutation from pummelo seems more likely when one considers the number of grapefruit varieties today, most of which originated as mutations from existing grapefruit varieties.

Grapefruit achieves its best quality under conditions of hot days and warm to hot nights, which results in higher sugars and lower acids than grapefruit produced in the cooler night temperatures common in Arizona and California. It grows well in both tropical and subtropical climates of the world, but it is a little less cold hardy than oranges.

Mature, healthy grapefruit trees that are well-hardened by previous cool to cold weather can probably tolerate temperatures in the mid-20's without leaf or twig damage. For maximum cold protection, grapefruit in the home landscape should be planted on the south or southeast side of the house. While large, overhanging shade trees will provide some cold protection, grapefruit grows and produces best in full sun.

The major grapefruit varieties in Texas are 'Ruby Red', 'Henderson'/'Ray' and 'Rio Red'. All were discovered in Texas and all are red-fleshed, seedless and have varying degrees of redness in the peel.

'Ruby Red' was discovered as a limb sport ( a mutation of one limb which has different fruit characteristics than the rest of the tree) on a 'Pink Marsh' tree in 1929 by A. E. Henninger of McAllen, TX, who was granted a patent (U.S. Plant Patent No. 63) in 1934. The fruit is of excellent quality, seedless (i.e., 0 to 6 seeds), red-fleshed, oblate and thin skinned. The fruit usually has a red blush on an otherwise yellow peel. The interior color fades badly after the first of the year.

'Henderson' and 'Ray' are usually lumped together in the industry as they are nearly indistinguishable. Both were discovered in the Valley in the early 1970's-- 'Henderson' as a limb sport on 'Ruby Red' and 'Ray' as four trees, the buds of which were supposed to be 'Ruby Red'. The fruit of these two varieties is similar to 'Ruby Red' in almost all respects except that the peel is more attractive than 'Ruby Red' and the flesh is even redder.

'Rio Red' was discovered in 1976 by R. A. Hensz as a limb sport on a tree being grown from 'Ruby Red' budwood that had been irradiated. Released in 1984, 'Rio Red' has interior color that is twice as red as 'Henderson' and its color persists throughout the season. 'Rio Red' has an overall reddish tinge on the peel and a lighter-colored halo in the flesh when viewed in cross-section.

Texas markets its 'Ruby Red' and 'Henderson'/'Ray' under the name Ruby-Sweet. Some 'Henderson' fruit are marketed as 'Flame' to distinguish it from 'Ruby Red' and to capitalize on Florida's 'Flame' grapefruit which is a nucellar 'Henderson' . 'Rio Red' is marketed under the name Rio Star.

[_Keith]

(Kathryn @ Apr. 02 2008,17:48)

QUOTE

Thanks for all the responses.

I read about a new sweeter variety developed in Florida to attract a new generation of grapefruit eaters - it’s called “early sweet”. Unfortunately, the fruit is very pale and I guess it probably doesn’t have the same nutritional qualities of the red varieties. Also, I didn't find any of these trees available for sale.

Gary - What color is the fruit of a Cocktail Grapefruit?

I guess I will get a ruby red or possibly a rio red. I’ll check out some nurseries this weekend to see what is available.

Keith - Did you get yours locally or on-line? I found places on-line that sell 7-gallon ruby red plants for just under $100 with shipping. I’d like to buy a larger one, but don’t know what I might find locally.

From what I’ve read and seen around here, most grapefruit can take temperatures into the low 20’s once established. It only gets this cold every few years or so and may cause defoliation, but no permanent damage. I make sure they protect the tree if needed during the first few years.

Dave - One of my neighbors behind me has a kumquat tree that hangs nicely over the fence - plenty of fruit available for the taking.

Pretty sure I got my Rio down in your neck of the woods, from Bantings Nursery.  The Rio is an even redder, even sweeter Grapefruit than the Ruby Red.  It was genetic variation developed in So. Texas as I understand it.

[Alicehunter2000]

Kathyrn, my climate is similar to yours and we have tons of large grapefruit trees here. They all seem pretty hardy. I would check this website......JustfruitsandExotics.com. They are based out of Crawfordville Florida (below Tallahassee) and have a large selection of cold hardy citrus varieties that you can have shipped to you. Also the box stores around here have tons of citrus including grapefruit, maybe yours does to.

[Alicehunter2000]

http://www.justfruitsandexotics.com/index.html

See if this link will work for you.........hope they are not sold out of varieties.