Grapefruit Trees

How to choose a grapefruit

The Marsh Grapefruit Tree has pale yellow fruit with white flesh and a classic tangy flavour, and is easy to grow. The red fleshed types are sweeter and less bitter: the Star Ruby Grapefruit Tree and the Rio Red Grapefruit Tree have deep red flesh and good sweetness. The Wheeny Grapefruit Tree is an Australian selection with large, juicy, lightly bitter fruit.

Where grapefruit grow

Grapefruit need more heat than other citrus to sweeten, so the warm coast and inland subtropics are ideal, along with warm temperate areas with long summers. In cooler climates the fruit stays sour and the tree is more prone to frost damage, so grow it against a sheltered, sunny wall or in a large pot. A standard tree grows to four or five metres, so allow room.

See our wider citrus range, and the neighbouring orange trees and lime trees for a mixed orchard.

Grapefruit trees are heavy, vigorous plants that give a lot of shade and a lot of fruit. A single tree in a warm garden can produce more than a household can eat, so it is a good plan to share the crop, juice it or make marmalade. The fruit holds on the tree for months, so you can pick as you need it.

The flower is white and fragrant, so a flowering grapefruit adds scent to the garden in spring as well.

Planting and spacing

Plant in spring or early autumn in full sun and well drained soil with compost dug in. Space trees about four to five metres apart. Keep the graft above the soil and mulch the roots, leaving a gap around the trunk. In a pot, choose a very large container and a quality citrus potting mix, though the tree will fruit best planted out.

Care basics

Water deeply and regularly through summer and during fruit development, because irregular watering splits fruit. Feed with a citrus fertiliser in spring, summer and autumn. Prune lightly to remove dead or crossing wood and shoots below the graft. Watch for leaf miner, scale and fruit fly. For the full routine, see our guide to growing citrus trees in your backyard.

Pink and red fleshed types tend to be less bitter than white ones, and mature trees produce more sweetly flavoured fruit than young trees. Mature trees also carry more fruit each year as the canopy fills out.

Common questions

When are grapefruit ready to pick?

Mostly from late autumn through winter and into spring. Fruit sweetens as it hangs, so taste one before you pick.

Why is my grapefruit bitter?

Often because the fruit is picked too early or the climate is too cool. A longer hang on the tree sweetens it.

How long until a grapefruit tree fruits?

Usually within three to four years of planting, with bigger crops as the tree ages.

Can I grow a grapefruit in a pot?

Yes, in a very large pot, but it will stay smaller and produce lighter crops than a tree in the ground.