Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Oroblanco Grapefruit
Oroblanco is a sweet, seedless cross of pummelo and white grapefruit. The pale yellow flesh is sweeter and less sour than a regular grapefruit, without the bitter bite. The thick peel stays greenish yellow when ripe, and the fruit hangs on the tree for months through winter. It grows into an evergreen tree about 10 to 15 feet tall, with fragrant white blossoms.
Best for: a backyard fruit tree with mild, sweet grapefruit, seedless winter fruit for eating fresh, and spring blossom scent in a sunny yard.
The fruit has more sugar and less acid than a regular white grapefruit, and it lacks the bitter bite. The pale yellow flesh is juicy, under a thick peel that stays greenish yellow when ripe.
Oroblanco fruit is seedless, even when other citrus trees bloom nearby. The fruit ripens in winter and hangs well on the tree for months, so you can pick through winter and into spring.
A standard tree grows about 10 to 15 feet tall and about as wide. Plant it in full sun, about 12 to 15 feet from other trees, and away from a hot west wall.
It is more tender to frost than regular grapefruit, with damage starting near 30°F. Bare trunks sunburn if the low branches are cut off. Dropped blossoms and fruit can clog a pool filter.
- Citrus trees in a rowAbout 12 to 15 ft apart
- Single tree in the yardAbout 15 to 20 ft from other trees
Water a newly planted Oroblanco every few days for its first months, more often in summer. Wet the soil out past the branch tips, not just at the trunk.
Soak 2 to 3 feet deep about every 7 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter. Let the top of the soil dry between waterings.
Split the year's citrus fertilizer into three feedings. Apply one in January or February, one in March or April, and one in May or June.
Oroblanco starts to take damage near 30°F, warmer than regular grapefruit. Cover it with frost cloth to the ground on nights near freezing, and water the soil the day before.
Prune lightly from late winter into spring, not in summer. Keep the low branches to shade the trunk, and paint bare bark with white latex paint.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
What is an Oroblanco?
It is a cross of a pummelo and a white grapefruit, bred in California and released in 1980. The name means white gold, and it is sold in stores as Oroblanco grapefruit or Sweetie.
Is Oroblanco sweeter than grapefruit?
Yes. It has more sugar and less acid than a regular white grapefruit and lacks the bitter bite. The thick peel stays greenish yellow even when the fruit is ripe, so judge it by taste.
Does Oroblanco have seeds?
No. The fruit is seedless, even when bees bring pollen from other citrus trees nearby.
When is Oroblanco ripe?
It ripens in winter and hangs well on the tree for months. Many trees can be picked from late fall or early winter into spring, so pick as you need it.
How big does an Oroblanco tree get?
A standard tree grows about 10 to 15 feet tall and about as wide.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant citrus trees about 12 to 15 feet apart in a row, and give a single tree about 15 to 20 feet from other trees. The Spacing tab can count trees for a row.
What is the difference between Oroblanco and Melogold?
They come from the same cross. Melogold fruit is about a quarter larger and more like a pummelo, with a milder flavor. Oroblanco is closer to a grapefruit in size.
How cold can an Oroblanco take?
It is more tender than regular grapefruit, with damage starting around 28 to 30°F. In the Valley, cover it with frost cloth to the ground on nights near freezing, and water the day before.
How often should I water an Oroblanco?
Water deeply, 2 to 3 feet down and out past the branch tips. Established trees need water about every 7 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter.
When should I fertilize and prune it?
Feed with citrus fertilizer in January or February, March or April, and May or June. Prune lightly in late winter or spring, and keep the low branches to shade the trunk.
Is an Oroblanco tree safe for pets?
No. Grapefruit and its crosses are listed as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Chewing the peel, leaves or stems can cause vomiting, diarrhea and depression.
Oroblanco Grapefruit for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Oroblanco, sold in stores as Oroblanco grapefruit or Sweetie, is a sweet, seedless pummelo and grapefruit cross that grows in Valley yards. It brings an evergreen tree, scented blossoms and mild winter fruit. Below are the questions people ask most, from taste and harvest time to size, spacing, watering, feeding and frost.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
What does Oroblanco grapefruit taste like?
Oroblanco is sweeter and less acidic than a regular white grapefruit, without the bitter bite. The pale yellow flesh is juicy and seedless under a thick, greenish yellow peel.
When is Oroblanco ripe in Arizona?
The fruit ripens in winter and hangs well on the tree for months. You can pick from late fall or early winter into spring, a few at a time.
How big does an Oroblanco tree get?
A standard Oroblanco grows about 10 to 15 feet tall and about as wide. Plant trees about 12 to 15 feet apart, and use the spacing calculator for a row.
Oroblanco vs Melogold
Both come from the same pummelo and grapefruit cross. Melogold is about a quarter larger, more like a pummelo and milder, while Oroblanco is closer to a grapefruit.
Is Oroblanco cold hardy in Phoenix?
Oroblanco is more frost tender than regular grapefruit, with damage starting around 28 to 30°F. Cover it with frost cloth to the ground on nights near freezing.
Watering and feeding Oroblanco in the Valley
Soak the soil 2 to 3 feet deep about every 7 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter. Feed three times, in January or February, March or April, and May or June.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.