Grapefruit
Citrus × paradisi
Needs real heat to sweeten.
Hardiness: zones 9 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 20 ft tall, 20 ft wide
Harvest: November to April
From: Barbados
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food.
Hardy in zones 9 to 11.
The story
Grapefruit appeared in Barbados in the 1700s as a chance cross between a pomelo and a sweet orange, the 'forbidden fruit' of early accounts. Florida made it a crop in the 1800s and the pink 'Ruby Red' was found as a mutation in Texas in 1929.
Planting
Full sun and heat; it needs a long hot season to sweeten. Plant on drained soil with room for a 20-foot tree, or choose a dwarf rootstock.
Growing
Deep weekly watering in summer, citrus feed three times a year, and patience: the fruit hangs for a year and gets sweeter the longer it stays.
Harvest and use
Pick from late winter through spring; the longer on the tree, the sweeter. The fruit keeps on the tree for months.
What to watch for
Scale, mites, and frost; the large fruit is heavy, so support young limbs.
See if Grapefruit fits your yard
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More tropical and subtropical food plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home