Star Ruby (Sunrise)

Star Ruby is the most pigmented of the red grapefruit varieties with stunningly beautiful pink-red segments. It has a high juice content and is as sweet as, if not sweeter than, Marsh Seedless. Star Ruby is a high quality, almost seedless variety with a red-blushed peel which is as thin as Flame and thinner than Rio Red.

Star Ruby has proved to be quite difficult to grow is some citrus areas, being slightly more susceptible to some diseases, nutritional deficiencies and cold temperatures.

Good Fruit Guide Rating: ****

When grown in the best climatic zones, such as Israel, Swaziland/South Africa lowveld, Star Ruby is one of the best grapefruit varieties.

Sweet, tangy, juicy.

Names: Star Ruby; Sunrise (Israel); Citrus paradisi Macfadyen; PLU 4288 + 4495

Origin: Star Ruby was developed at Texas A&I University in 1959 from an irradiated Hudson grapefruit. It was introduced as a commercial variety in 1971.

Grown in: South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Israel, Spain and Turkey.

Harvest & Availability:

• January: Israel, Spain, Turkey
• February: Israel, Spain, Turkey
• March: Israel, Spain, Turkey
• April: Israel, Spain, Turkey
• May: Israel, Spain, Turkey
• June: South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique
• July: South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique
• August: South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique
• September: South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique
• October: South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique
• November: Israel, Spain, Turkey
• December: Israel, Spain, Turkey

Websites:

UC Riverside – Star Ruby