We have listed the grapefruit varieties which we specialise in below, please enquire about other varieties and we will see whether we can source the products for you. Enter the sizes that your specific market requires for grape fruit and click on the "Add To Enquiry" link. Once you have added all the products that you are interested in click on Enquire Now and complete the required information in order for us to assist you with your request.
See all the varieties which we have access to listed below. Please note that products are available during specific seasons as well as the current market demands. Pricing for our products work on an offer basis, in other words make us and offer and we will negotiate with our suppliers on your behalf.
Grapefruit Packaging and Sizes
Available Sizes |
Carton Weight |
30,35,40,45,50,55 |
15kg |
Grapefruit Varieties and availability
Variety |
Availablitiy |
Marsh (South Africa) |
Feb - April |
Star Ruby (South Africa) |
March - July |
Rose (South Africa) |
April - September |
Marsh |
There are two possible origins of the Marsh variety, one suggests it originated as a root sprout from a seedy variety, probably Duncan, around 1880 near Lakeland, Florida, while the other proposed it was of seedling origin from around 1850. First propagated as the variety Marsh Seedless by nurseryman E. H. Tison in 1886 and named in 1890 by C. M. Marsh to whom the nursery was sold, it is now more commonly known simply as Marsh.Like the Duncan the tree is vigorous and very productive, attaining large size although regarded as being more cold-sensitive. Marsh fruit is slightly smaller than Duncan but far less seedy, having typically just two or three per fruit, but is rarely ever truly seedless.The juice sacs are smaller and the pulp has a somewhat smoother and lighter appearance than Duncan. It has very slightly thicker rind but a high juice content of sweet flavour that is of rather high acidity early in its season. While both varieties may reach minimum maturity standards at about the same time in November, Marsh may hang later than Duncan, although towards the end of the season the acidity is low and the flavour rather insipid.While white (Marsh) grapefruit still predominates worldwide, in almost all producing countries there has been an accelerated shift to pink and red varieties in the past decade. Florida has led this trend, with 60% of its total crop now from pigmented varieties. In Texas production has been given over almost entirely to pigmented varieties, while in California and Arizona the 350 000 ton crop is gradually moving from Marsh to pink and red varieties. |
Rose |
These varieties originated in the same area of Texas at about the same time and are thought by most authorities to be one and the same variety.Ruby was discovered as a bud mutation of Thompson ( Pink Marsh ) in 1926 by A. E. Henninger at McAUen, Texas, and was patented and named in 1934.Ruby matures at about the same time as Thompson but has better internal quality as well as better internal and rind pigmentation. This was the first pink grapefruit that could be immediately recognized externally without having to be cut open, and one which also had better color than Thompson. Apart from the color. Ruby is virtually identical to Marsh in most other fruit characteristics and typically has few seeds.Despite increasing interest in Flame and No Red, Ruby is still the most widely grown pigmented variety worldwide and is likely to remain so for some considerable time. In Florida where new grapefruit plantings have nose-dived in the past four years. Ruby's popularity has remained twice the combined total of all other pigmented varieties. In Southern Africa and Israel, however, its popularity continues to decline. |
Star Ruby |
This variety was produced by irradiating seed from the Hudson variety by R. A. Hensz, Texas A & I University, Weslaco, Texas, in 1959. Flesh of the Star Ruby is slightly redder than Hudson and it remains the most deeply pigmented grapefruit variety yet developed. Externally the rind is as smooth and fine as that of Flame and is generally more blushed, often equal to that of Rio Red but with a somewhat better background colour.In addition to these two good and important characteristics. Star Ruby is almost invariably seedless, rarely having more than one or two seeds in a minority of fruit. The rind is thin like Flame, and is slightly thinner than Rio Red. The flesh has a high Juice content and is as sweet or sweeter than Marsh and other pigmented varieties. In my opinion it still remains the standard pigmented grapefruit against which all others are measured. However, it is evident that the irradiation had deleterious as well as beneficial effects on the genetic makeup of the variety, since in the four distinctly differing climatic citrus regions of the USA ( viz: Florida, Texas, Arizona and California ) it has been the most problematic of all grapefruit trees to grow well. Star Ruby is extremely susceptible to foot rot and somewhat intolerant to residual herbicides and nematicides. Sunburn, winter chlorosis and micronutrient deficiency symptoms are commonly seen on the leaves, and the trees have been observed to be quite cold-sensitive. Erratic bearing has also been a feature, especially in Texas, but this characteristic and many other problems have not been observed in Israel and South Africa, probably due to the clones there being of nucellar origin.In many countries Star Ruby trees are less vigorous than most varieties and under most conditions in the USA are less productive and bear smaller fruit, but not so in South Africa where they are precocious and the tree form has a more compact bushy growth habit and bears most of the fruit in the bottom third of the tree. |