GardenPerennial Fruit Tree · zones 9–11 · 12 varieties
Grapefruit
Citrus paradisi
Rutaceae — the same plant family as mandarin, orange, lemon and lime. Relatives share pests and diseases, which is why rotation plans group by family.
Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) is a perennial fruit tree for USDA zones 9–11. It wants full sun and pH 5.5–6.5 soil, with about 1–1.5 in of water weekly. First real harvest comes in 2–4 yr on a grafted nursery tree, or 7–10 yr from a seed. Watch for aphids and greasy spot. Below: its full sourced profile from 10 extension sources, plus a planting calendar timed to your frost dates.
Typical dates for zone 6b — set your zone or ZIP for yours. Timing is a guide from the crop's sourced growth stages; confirm with your local frost dates and extension before you sow.
What we will not put a number on
We do not give a feeding rate for this crop, and that is deliberate rather than a gap. The figures published by extension services are pounds of nitrogen per acre for a production field — they do not convert safely to a raised bed or a pot without knowing your soil test and your fertilizer's analysis, and guessing errs toward burning roots. It is also why every chart you find online disagrees with the next one.
Site & soil
- Hardiness zones
- 9–11
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 5.5–6.5
- Soil texture
- Loam, Sandy, Clay, Well drained
- Frost tolerance
- Tender
No published figure for the temperature that would kill it. We looked — where a number is missing here it is missing from the research, not skipped. The crop’s frost and heat tolerance above still applies.
The plant
- Mature height
- 15–30 ft
- Mature spread
- 15–30 ft
- Growth rate
- Moderateest
- Spacing in row
- 144–192 in
- A general citrus spacing, not one published for grapefruit. What a tree actually needs is set by its rootstock — a dwarf or patio citrus needs far less room than a standard tree.
- Between rows
- 180–240 inest
- Planting depth
- At soil level
- Container size
- 15–25 gal — start at the low end, pot up as it growsest
- Support
- Self-supportingest
- Grown from
- Grafting, Budding, Transplant
Water & feeding
- Water needs
- Moderate
- Water per week
- 1–1.5 in/wkest
- Critical water
- Establishment, Fruit setest
- Feeding
- Moderate
Timing & fruiting
- Years to first harvest
- 2–4 yr
- That is the grafted nursery tree, which is what a nursery sells. Grown from a seed on its own roots it is 7–10 yr — a different tree, and a different wait.
- Chill hours
- 0–100 hrs
- Pollination
- Self fertileest
- Harvest cues
- Fruit coloring
- Winter damage below
- 28 °F
- A general citrus figure, not one published for grapefruit. Across the citrus we hold, damage points run from about 26 °F to about 32 °F depending on the type, so read this as the family's rule of thumb rather than a grapefruit measurement.
Edible parts per source: fruit.
Compiled from the extensions cited below. Which ones actually show up depends on your region — your extension's local list is the last word.
Different parts differ — the edible part is the fruit; the notes below flag other parts or preparations.
PeopleContact dermatitis
Petsdogs, cats, horses
Recorded exactly as the source states it — not medical or veterinary advice. If a person or animal may have eaten a toxic part, call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) or your vet / the ASPCA line (888-426-4435).
| Variety | Type | Habit | Days | Color | Size | What it is known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cocktail Grapefruit Hybrid | Hybrid | — | Orange | |||
| Duncan Heirloom | White | — | Yellow | University of California, Riverside — Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection records this astakes the cold | ||
| Flame | Red | — | Pink | University of California, Riverside — Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection records this astakes the cold | ||
| Henderson | Red | — | Pink | |||
| Marsh Heirloom | White | — | Yellow | University of California, Riverside — Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection records this asno seeds | ||
| Melogold Grapefruit Hybrid | Hybrid | Spreading | — | Yellow | Very Large | University of California, Riverside — Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection records this asno seeds |
| Oroblanco Grapefruit Hybrid | Hybrid | Spreading | — | Yellow | University of California, Riverside — Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection records this asno seeds | |
| Ray Ruby | Red | — | Red | |||
| Rio Red | Red | — | Pink | |||
| Ruby Red Heirloom | Pink | — | Pink | |||
| Star Ruby | Red | — | Red | |||
| Thompson Heirloom | Pink | — | Pink | University of California, Riverside — Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection records this asno seeds |
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
- Mississippi State University Extension
- NC State Extension
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (Aggie Horticulture)
- UF/IFAS Extension
- UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
- University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
- University of California Cooperative Extension (UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County)
- University of California Master Gardeners of San Luis Obispo County
We compile bare facts from these university-extension and horticultural sources, never copied prose. 16 of the 23 values on this page carry a citation. The rest are marked est; hover one and it says why — either nobody publishes a figure we could point at, or a person set it and attached no source. Figures vary with climate and seed source; confirm with your local extension before you buy.
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