The History of Texas Grapefruit

The history of Texas grapefruit is more like a peach – a little bit on the fuzzy side. The origins of the grapefruit were not well known and in some cases inferences had to be made as to how a particular type of grapefruit was brought to different countries, including the United States. This is because almost all citrus fruits originated in China, except for the grapefruit, which is thought to be a hybrid between an orange and a pummelo.

Texas grapefruit came to Texas by the way of seeds. Spanish settlers most likely brought the seeds with them from the east coast, where they originally landed on what is now known as US soil. Of course, the fruits grown in the southeast are very different from what we now know as Texas grapefruit today. Texas grapefruit is much sweeter than the grapefruit grown in other states. Some forms of it are also much redder, which many think is indicative of just how sweet the flesh really is.

So if this is the case, how did this southeastern seeds turn into the sweet Texas grapefruit that we know and love today? That was a great accident, and nobody is really quite sure how it happened. But the bright red Rio Star Texas grapefruit and Ruby Sweet Texas grapefruit was first discovered around the time of the Great Depression. The seeded white Texas grapefruit that had become a quick cash crop in Texas all the sudden grew into an even greater commercial success. In fact, the success of these red versions was so great that Texas farmers stopped growing the white seeded variety completely.

Through partnerships with the agricultural department at Texas A&M University, farmers began planting hybrid seeds that were supposed to grow even greater and redder varieties of the Texas grapefruit. The names Rio Star Texas grapefruit and Ruby Sweet Texas grapefruit came about in order to show the red and sweet superiority of these varieties over other varieties that are red or sweet but don't use the specially hybrid seeds made at the University. This all began in the 1920s, and since then, the Texas grapefruit brand is shipped to all parts of the US and even Canada.

Though you may encounter many different types of Texas grapefruit in supermarkets around the country, the best are the red and sweet ones that the state is known for. They have taken on a life and aura of their own and are even widely used in desserts like Texas grapefruit pie, which is a treat at the holidays for many Texas families. Try a Texas grapefruit next to one from any other state and you will see why the Texas grapefruit varieties are often thought to be superior to many others.

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