{"product_id":"citrus-paradisi-rio-red-rio-red-grapefruit","title":"Citrus paradisi 'Rio Red' – Rio Red Grapefruit","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCitrus paradisi\u003c\/em\u003e 'Rio Red' is the red grapefruit the commercial industry settled on. It was developed at the Texas A\u0026amp;M Citrus Center and released in 1984, and it earned its place by holding deep red flesh right through the season where earlier red selections fade to pink by the end of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fruit is nearly seedless, sweet and low in acid, with a thin skin that often carries a red blush on the outside. That combination of colour, sweetness and no seeds is why it is the red grapefruit most people picture. Ripening runs from winter into spring, and the fruit holds on the tree for weeks once ready, so the harvest can be taken as needed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tree is evergreen with a rounded, densely branched canopy of large glossy leaves, and it is self-fertile, so a single tree crops on its own. Fragrant white flowers come through spring and are heavily worked by bees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrow it in full sun with free draining soil and shelter from hard frost. Advanced specimens at this size are years ahead of a nursery tube and will crop in their first or second season in the ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin:44px 0 16px;\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:14px;font-weight:500;letter-spacing:1.5px;margin:0 0 8px;padding-top:32px;border-top:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);text-transform:uppercase;color:currentColor;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 24px;color:currentColor;opacity:0.65;font-size:14px;font-style:italic;\"\u003eAbout Citrus paradisi 'Rio Red'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eWhat makes Rio Red different from other grapefruit?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eColour retention. Rio Red holds deep red flesh through the whole season, where older red selections lose intensity as the fruit matures. It is also nearly seedless, sweet and low in acid, which is why it became the commercial standard for red grapefruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow does it compare to Ray Ruby?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eThey are close relatives and both are deep red Texas selections, so there is little to separate them in the fruit. Rio Red is the more widely planted of the two commercially. If you already have one, the other will not give you a noticeably different grapefruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eDoes it have seeds?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eVery few. Rio Red is classed as nearly seedless and most fruit carries none, though the odd seed turns up when other citrus are flowering nearby. If you want a guaranteed seedless white grapefruit instead, Marsh is the one to plant.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eWhen does it ripen?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eFrom winter into spring, roughly June to October depending on the district. The fruit holds well on the tree once ready, so you can pick as you need rather than harvesting all at once. Flavour sweetens the longer it hangs.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eDoes it need a second tree to pollinate?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eNo. It is self-fertile and crops well as a single specimen. A second citrus nearby will not hurt, but it is not required.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eIs it frost tolerant?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eNot fully. Like all grapefruit it is frost sensitive, particularly while young. Plant in a warm sheltered position out of frost hollows, and protect through the first couple of winters in colder districts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow do I care for it?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eWater deeply once or twice a week through the warmer months and more often while fruit is filling, since uneven moisture causes fruit drop and splitting. Feed with a complete citrus fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer. Mulch the root zone and keep it clear of the trunk. Remove any shoots below the graft as soon as they appear.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Evergreen Trees Direct","offers":[{"title":"110L","offer_id":47071935725767,"sku":"CITPARRIO110L","price":1690.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.evergreentrees.com.au\/products\/citrus-paradisi-rio-red-rio-red-grapefruit","provider":"Evergreen Trees Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}