Well, it kind of depends on a few things, Kevin. Container or in ground? And where you live, which I see is AZ. So, what I might recommend, which for me would be a Rio Red, may not be the very best recommendation for you in your much hotter and drier area (although it does do quite well in the Phoenix, AZ area I believe). Actually, you have more varieties available due to your heat index, which grapefruits need to sweeten up. The Rio Red, which is a very excellent tasting red grapefruit doesn't need as much heat to sweeten, which is why I grow it here. For you, I would think Rio Red should do exceptionally well. Also Blush is a nice variety for your area. You might want to check with either Whitfill's: http://www.whitfillnursery.com/phoenix-trees.html, or Greenfields: http://www.greenfieldcitrus.com/ to see what other varieties they can suggest for your area. And, all "red" grapefruits are pinkish, not really red, red. If you're looking for something really red, you might want to consider a Valentine pummelo, if you can find it in AZ. It is a triple hybrid pummelo, and quite delicious (pummelo, mandarin, blood orange). And very red due to one of it's parent being a blood orange: http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/citrus/Valentine.html
It is one of my favorite pummelo/grapefruit options. (Be sure to copy and paste these hyperlinks into another browser window, as the hyperlinks are not capturing all characters, so they won't work correctly if you click on them).

Patty S.

The best tasting grapefruit by far is Duncan, a seedy white grapefruit. Since you juice your grapefruit a few seeds wouldn't matter. I also like the Golden grapefruit from Texas which is a very mild orange colored seedy grapefruit. As you should notice, I am not a fan of red grapefruit other than for looking at as IMHO they are not the best tasting, but probably the best marketed grapefruit.

I'm also a fan of this one as I ate tons of them in Indian River Florida in the 60s/70s.

I just joined and wanted to ask this question on here myself. I just bought a Ray Ruby grapefruit which is supposed to be 2-4 x darker than ruby red. I once had Star Ruby but lost it in the hurricane of 04. It was slowly dying of foot rot which I found out recently, has been a problem for this type. I want the high Lycopene levels of a red or would just get my favorite which is Duncan. I do have Oro Blanco so do, at least have a white for the early season. Would like to know if anyone has compared Ray alongside the variety Flame in Florida?

All good advice, thanks! I might have to take a drive over to Greenfield Citrus. Has anyone tasted the Flame variety, any comments on that?

Thanks!
Kevin

Awesome you bumped a 4 year old thread. For nothing.

@pip313 - get a life. I don't recall you getting voted the comment Nazi.

nighthawk0911, thank you for the tried-and-true information learned only from hands-on experience and... time. I read a lot; your info brought it together. What would you think about a Duncan and a Rio Red in zone 10 (just south of San Francisco?) Any i fo on the sumatra mandrin. I have a thriving Meyer lemon and plum trees, and hearty, but non-producing pomegranite, olive and a pear trees. Thank you, nighthawke for shari g your ageless and timeless, valuable information.

@patrisetfilio - Thanks for the kind words. Grapefruit trees in general tend to be cold hardy. If your Meyers Lemon does well there Grapefruit would probably do okay also. See if anyone else is growing grapefruit in your area. I've never grown Rio Red, but it's the standard red commercial variety in South Texas and has mostly replaced the problematic Star Ruby as the leading DARK red variety for commercial purposes. Duncan is an old hardy large variety which is very seedy, but the very good slightly sweet flavor makes the seeds worthwhile. In many old abandoned/neglected groves in which most other citrus trees have died or only the root stock survives you'll still see a big old Duncan or Marsh grapefruit still producing full of fruit. While both are good white varieties - I would probably take Duncan over a Marsh on most days. Marsh is the tart variety you buy at the store. Duncan is it's slightly sweet larger cousin. Duncan has fallen out of favor commercially as people now want everything seedless, but it's good flavor has still made it popular as a dooryard tree. As the seeds in a Duncan are all in one spot, it's not an issue for me. I find seeded tangerines to be more of a minor annoyance than the seeds in a Duncan.

For Red Grapefruit I grow Ruby Red (the standard commercial variety) which is very good. I have also grown Thompson Pink, tho Thompson pink seems to be a shorter lived tree and more susceptible to frost and limb dieback problems. That is only my personal experience & observations with a few Thompson's/Marsh Pink trees - not scientific.

Thanks for the 411. Great info!