Grapefruit Trees....

[epicure3]

I'm thinking of planting a grapefruit tree since my wife likes the fruit. Anyone growing one near the coast? They supposedly like a lot more heat than we have here so I was hoping to get an idea of how well they grow. Thanks.

[Zeeth]

The development and heat/cold requirement/tolerance of the tree can be greatly affected by the rootstock it's grafted onto. I think you may have more success if grafted onto Trifoliate than one of the other citruses. One thing to think about before you make a purchase.

[MattyB]

John, contact one of the CA Rare Fruit Growers (the website has nurseries listed). They might have a variety that will do better for us in CA. I've always heard they didn't form enough sugars for us. My parents used to have one left over from the "Groves" of Lemon Grove and it just sucked.

[epicure3]

Thanks.

[Zeeth]

Oroblanco would be the best choice scion, as it has a low heat requirement for sweet fruit. Grafted onto something like a Trifoliate or trifoliate hybrid (like C-35 or swingle) rootstock, I'd imagine you would have a good chance for success.

http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/oroblanco.html

[cagary]

Oroblanco would be the best choice scion, as it has a low heat requirement for sweet fruit. Grafted onto something like a Trifoliate or trifoliate hybrid (like C-35 or swingle) rootstock, I'd imagine you would have a good chance for success.

http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/oroblanco.html

I agree with Zeeth. Oro Blanco (and Melo Gold, if you can find it) is a great choice. Both produce excellent fruit in my yard. However, they are not really grapefruit. They are a cross between a grapefruit and a pummelo.

[epicure3]

Thanks for all the answers. I guess Oroblanco seems to be the best. Remember, that cold is not the problem. Is it only the heat requirements that I have questions about.

[bahia]

Oroblanco is the one that gives the best fruit here in the coastal San Francisco Bay Area. "Real" Grapefruits certainly grow well enough here, but the fruit is never sweet or juicy in my experience, not enough heat.

[Cristóbal]

Grapefruit needs 4+ months of days of 30C / 85F + temperatures and hot nights to give good fruit. They give very good fruits in the hot desert and also in florida and south texas. they dont give good fruit in baja california by the pacific....only very far south by 24-25 north...and we are more warmer than california.

Edited March 15, 2010 by Cristóbal

[epicure3]

Thanks, Cristobal.

[fastfeat]

When I was a kid, the only thing our grapefruit in Los Alamitos (OC, near Long Beach) was good for was "hard" ammo for our pipe-framed water balloon launcher.

[epicure3]

When I was a kid, the only thing our grapefruit in Los Alamitos (OC, near Long Beach) was good for was "hard" ammo for our pipe-framed water balloon launcher.

That....I don't need.