Grapefruit
Grapefruits belong, just like the orange and the pomelo, to the Citrus family. Actually, grapefruit is a hybrid between the sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) and the Pomelo (Citrus maxima). There is some confusion of names as grapefruits are sometimes called pomelos. Grapefruit is bigger than an orange but smaller than a pomelo. It has a yellow skin and a rather bitter taste.
On this page you find some basic information on grapefruit, some grapefruit photos, and some grapefruit proverbs and quotes.
Basic information on grapefruit
| Scientific name: | Citrus paradisi |
| English: | Grapefruit |
| Dutch: | Grapefruit |
| Spanish: | Pomelo Pomelo rosado Toronja |
| French: | Fruit en grappe Pamplemousse Pomélo |
| German: | Grapefruit |
| Italian: | Pompelmo |
| Family: | Rutaceae |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Origin: | The origin of grapefruit is Barbados, where it was developed as a hybrid between the sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) and the pomelo (Citrus maxima). |
| Distribution: | Grapefruit is a subtropical tree. Many grapefuits are produced in the United States (Florida, Texas, Arizona, California), Mexico, China, South Africa, Syria, Israel, Turkey and India. |
| Evergreen or deciduous: | Grapefruit is an evergreen tree. |
| Flowers: | Grapefruit has white flowers about 5 cm in diameter. |
| Leaves: | Grapefruit has thin dark green leaves that are up to 15 cm long. |
| Fruits: | Grapefruit fruits more or less round with a diameter of 10 to 15 centimeters. Most grapefruits are yellow or orange-yellow in color. The pulp of grapefruit can have different colors, often yellow, pink or red, depending on the variety. The pulp consists of many membranous juice sacs which are enclosed in a number of wedge-shaped compartments. Most grapefruits have a rather bitter taste but sweeter varieties exist as well. |
| Climate and weather: | Grapefruit is a subtropical plant. It does not tolerate freezing. |
| Pollination: | Grapefruits are self-pollinating, but it is reported that hand-pollination will increase production. |
| Height: | Grapefruit trees are usually about 6 meters tall, but can sometimes much taller and reach about 14 meters tall.. |
| Spacing | Grapefruits can be grown at a rate of 300 to 700 plants on a acre. Which corresponds to a plant distance between 2.5 and 4 meters. |
| Propagation: | Grapefruits are usually propagated by budding, for example onto sour orange seedling rootstocks. Growing grapefruits from seeds will not give a tree of the same variety and is not recommended. |
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| Diseases: | |
| Fruit development: | |
| Harvesting: | Grapefruits are harvested by hand, by pulling or clipping the fruits. |
| Uses: | Grapefruits are usually eaten fresh, for example as a dessert fruit. As a breakfast fruit, grapefruits are usually chilled, then they are cut in half with the sections loosened from the peel (using a curved knife). The pulp can then be spooned from the half fruits. Some people will add white or brown sugar, or some honey. Grapefruits are also used to produce grapefruit juice. |
Grapefruit photos
Proverbs about grapefruit
Who knows a proverb about grapefruit, or a funny quote? Please send me a message.
Quotes about grapefruit
- I'm on a grapefruit diet. I eat everything but grapefruit (author unknown).
- There is a lot more juice in grapefruit than meets the eye. (author unknown).
- Life is like a grapefruit. Well, it's sort of orangy-yellow and dimpled on the outside, wet and squidgy in the middle. It's got pips inside, too. Oh, and some people have a half a one for breakfast. (Douglas Adams)
- I am a grateful...grapefruit. (Bjork)
- Because at some more flexible period he had advanced from oranges to grape-fruit he considered himself an epicure. (Sinclair Lewis)
- The taste seemed to come in two parts - a sort of awakening sharpness followed quickly by a wash of sweetness; and each of those little globules (which were about the size of tadpoles) seemed to burst separately in my mouth. That was the grapefruit of my dreams, I don't mind telling you. (Julian Barnes)
- So far I've always kept my diet secret but now I might as well tell everyone what it is. Lots of grapefruit throughout the day and plenty of virile young men at night. (Angie Dickinson)
Did you know that?
- The grapefruit is one of the "Seven Wonders of Barbados."
- Grapefruit is also called the "forbidden fruit" of Barbados.
Grapefruit recipes
Please share your favorite grapefruit recipe. Send me a message.