Since I have no citrus trees right now, I buy from the store. I have really been enjoying Rio Red grapefruit from Texas this year, so much so that I can't believe that Ruby red remains so popular at the grocery store. I know Texas has focused most of their growing and marketing on Rio Red (Rio Star, which i think might include rio red or star ruby but in reality there isn't much star ruby being grown since there are some issues with tree vigor) but I am surprised that Florida still seems to be pumping out Ruby Red's or Marsh more than anything, I bought some from Florida recently that were only marked as "Red" they tasted like Ruby though, I actually didn't enjoy them much by comparison.

Am I unique in my opinion about the superiority of Rio over Ruby? After all there must be something driving demand and production of Ruby and other cultivars that in my opinion aren't as good. Actually as long as we're talking cultivars I really enjoy Oro Blanco (even more so than it's sister Melogold) I wish it was more available commercially.

The best red grapefruit that I have ever had as always come from south Texas. I assumed it was because of the variety and the temps. I thought they were Rio Red but can't proof it. Much sweeter than anything that I have ever had from Florida or California...... so far ! Tom

I really like Ruby Red, but then again, I like my grapefruit to bite back! Rio Reds are great, and south Texas does produce the best grapefruit on earth in my opinion, but I always prefer a homegrown Ruby.

I have branches of both rio red and star ruby here in Beaumont,TX. I don't think we get enough heat as neither gets very sweet here even now. The star ruby has a much better red color than rio red which tends to be less red.

The real grapefruit performer around here is the golden grapefruit which is sweet at Thanksgiving or earlier. The reds never get as sweet as the golden. I had hopes for duncan but it isn't as sweet as golden either. I've tasted really sweet duncans from Florida. I do like the white grapefruit flavor tho.

star ruby on the left and rio red on the right:

Mr. Texas, even though I know grapefruit has a high heat requirement to get the best flavor, I'm surprised your not getting the kind of flavor you want there in Beaumont, you're summers are as hot as anywhere in Florida and winters are still mild, though of course not as warm as Florida or south Texas. Maybe they really do need extreme heat over a longer season and that's why are so great in the Rio Grande Valley.

It's not surprising that golden grapefruit is the sweetest, given that it has mandarin in its parentage. Duncan, as you said can be excellent, it's just that people shy away from it in the store because of its seediness, even though I think it tastes much better than Marsh.

Well, I don't know about the heat units for Rio Red. This is our most often recommended 100% grapefruit for our coastal areas of S. California, and my two Rio Reds are great. Actually sweet enough for me to enjoy, and I am one that doesn't like my citrus to "bite back" The one I have in the front, which gets more sun, seems to be sweeter, but I need a couple more years on both trees to make that determination for sure. The Ruby definitely needs more heat units, and is a better choice for inland California, espescially the Cochella Valley area, where grapefruits are grown commercially.

If you like sweet grapefruit try a Ora Blanco, I just today recieved a 20lb. box that I ordered from Pearsons Ranch in California. They are really different, about the size of a softball with super thick hide, after peeling its the size of a large satsuma, and super sweet, the brix was 14. Now if I could get some budwood and slap it on trifoliate rootstock (would that work) maybe it might have a chance to make it thru a south Georgia winter, Zone 8b. How about it you Gurus of Citrus, what'cha Think?

Oroblancos are great, but they're not 100% grapefruit, they're a hybrid. I have two in my yard, plus it's better "sister", the Melogold, which is even a bit better - sweeter, juicier and thinner skinned. I love them. I am not a big huge grapefruit fan as they are just a wee bit too tart for my liking, but my husband loves them, so hence the Rio Red For me, I've got Oroblanco, Melogold, and my most favorit, Cocktail, which isn't even a grapefruit hybrid, but a pummelo hybrid that tastes more like a grapefruit hybrid. Like the Oroblanco and Melogold, but even sweeter. On my top 5 fav citrus cultivars.

Mr. Texas, I also grow Star Ruby Grapefruit. Star Ruby was developed from the Hudson grapefruit by irradiating its seed. Of all the red grapefruit varieties, Star Ruby is the darkest of the pigmented grapefruit. The day after tomorrow March 1, is the beginning of Star Ruby picking season in my greenhouse. As of March 1st, the fruit have been hanging on the tree for 4 months, so should be really good. Traditionally its soluble solids is 13 - 15 brix.- Millet

Oroblanco and Melogold are both pummelo/grapefruit hybrids, whereas Cocktail has no grapefruit parentage as stated above, rather it is a pummelo/mandarin hybrid. They are all good though and grapefruit-like, but I do have to disagree with hoosierquilt about Oroblanco, I really prefer the flavor of it over Melogold. Melogold is indeed larger and with a thinner rind (I don't know that would call it sweeter) but for whatever reason I just can't seem to enjoy it as much, I guess it's good that both are available to satisfy the both of us.

Millet, do you grow Rio Red as well? And do you find that you get sufficient quality out of it in your climate? Since it is similar to Star Ruby and you seem to get good Star Ruby's I suppose you would do well with Rio Red As well. How old are your Star Ruby's? I have seen them start to decline after about 10-12 years, at least in hot climates.

Hi Patty, no doubt you are very familiar with the orablanco, melogold and cocktail, which of these is the largest and thinner skined?

The Melogold and Oroblanco look almost indistinguishable from each other, as they are the exact same cross between the Marsh grapefruit and an acidless pumello. The way you can tell the difference is the Oroblanco has a big dimple on the bottom side. And, the Melogold is a teeny bit darker in skin color than the Oroblanco (although I can't really tell the difference with mine). The Melogold is also on average, slightly larger than the Oroblanco. The reason you see Oroblancos in the store, and not the Melogold, is because of that thicker skin, which makes them a little more appealing commercially, as they're not as fragile as the Melogold, but for dooryard citrus, it's the Melogold that has the Oroblanco beat hand's down. Now, this is in conflict with what you might read on UCR's Citrus Variety Collection, but everyone I've talked to around me says the same thing. Now, the Cocktail, although smaller, is really in my opinion, the best of these three hybrids. But, I don't like the bitterness of the grapefruit, so that's why I like the Cocktail so very much.

Millet, do you find that the Star Red grapefruit is sweeter than the Rio Red? I get conflicting stories about the Star - good at the coast, not so good as the coast. What is your opinion of this cultivar in cooler summer areas?

I have planted star ruby last november.Now i am afraid it will not get red color in my climate. It is hot until october, but from then temperatures vary between 10 to 20 celzius. In January from 5 to 15 C. How big can the tree grow? My is 4 year seedling about 1,70 tall.

The red color in grapefruit is not influence buy temps.

As far as how big will they get. Well this is the earliest photo of one of my Ruby reds at 1.5 years old in 2006.



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