How sweet it is! Ruby Red grapefruits have a yellow rind with a faint reddish blush and red, seedless flesh inside that’s sweeter than other grapefruit varieties. The Ruby Red grapefruit tree is a fast-growing tree that can grow up to 25 feet tall when planted in well-drained loam/sandy loam soil. Like other varieties of grapefruit it is particularly frost sensitive, and its fruit can be damaged when temperatures drop below freezing. Because of this, Ruby Red grapefruit trees grow best in USDA plant hardiness zones 9 and 10.
Ruby Red Grapefruit Trees Grown Anywhere
That doesn’t mean you can’t experience the fun and fulfillment of growing your own Ruby Red grapefruit if you live in cooler climes…the dwarf Ruby Red grapefruit tree is similar to the standard-sized grapefruit tree, but can thrive in pots so you can keep it indoors part or all year round!
Like its larger cousins, dwarf Ruby Red grapefruit trees are easy to grow, have rich green leaves and handsome, well-shaped canopies that require minimal pruning. The dwarf Ruby Red grapefruit tree size can be kept to 5-7 feet tall when potted through pruning.
Ruby Red Grapefruit Trees in the Garden
Because grapefruit in general is low in calories, when people think of Ruby Red grapefruit juice, weight loss comes to mind. But it’s more than just a diet drink (or food): apart from being delicious, Ruby Red grapefruit is rich in vitamin C and contains vitamin A, potassium, dietary fiber and other nutrients, making it a great choice for your home orchard.
Ruby Red Grapefruit Tree Care
Before looking for a Ruby Red grapefruit tree for sale, think about where you want to keep your tree and how tall a tree you can accommodate (you may prefer browsing dwarf Ruby Red grapefruit trees for sale instead). Ruby Red grapefruit trees are fairly easy care, but it’s best to be prepared before you buy.
- If you plant your tree outdoors, be sure to remove any grass, weeds and debris from around the tree to reduce nutrient and moisture competition. Create a circle around the tree 12 inches from the canopy drip line.
- Water the dwarf Ruby Red grapefruit tree each week, soaking the soil with water (twice a week when the weather is hot). If you’re growing the tree in a container, don’t let the soil completely dry out – water the container whenever the top of the soil feels dry.
- Feed the dwarf grapefruit with general-purpose fertilizer or fertilizer designed for citrus. Use the recommended amount on the package. If only feeding a tree once a year, feed in the spring before new growth begins. The best strategy is to break the annual amount up into three portions; apply the fertilizer in March, May and June. Do not feed the tree after August.
- Protect the dwarf grapefruit tree from freezing spells in the winter. Cover the canopy with a blanket and tuck a light bulb plugged into a power cord under the blanket. The heat from the light will keep the fruit from freezing. If growing the tree in a container, move the tree to a protected area.
- Prune dead and rubbing branches away with pruners in the spring after all danger of frost has passed. Remove any suckers, branches growing below the graft; and waterspouts, upright branches growing from the roots.
Ready to start browsing Ruby Red Grapefruit Trees for sale? Check out our selection of dwarf citrus trees on Citrus.com!
