Reed Marsh Grapefruit Budwood

Citrus paradisi.

According to Webber (1943), Marsh apparently originated as a chance seedling planted about 1860 on a farm near Lakeland, Florida. J.F. Reed bought fruit from the grocery store and planted the seeds.

Fruit medium in size, oblate to spherical; areole ring indistinct or lacking; seeds few or none.  Color pale to light yellow at maturity.  Rind medium-thin, tough; surface very smooth and even.  Flesh buff-colored; tender, very juicy; flavor good though not so pronounced as in some seedy varieties.  Holds unusually well on the tree and ships and stores well.  The latest-maturing of all commercial varieties.

Tree vigorous, spreading, large, and productive.  Because of high heat requirements, commercially restricted to very hot climates.

Primarily because of its comparative seedlessness, within a few years after its introduction Marsh became the variety most planted in Florida and virtually the only variety planted elsewhere.  It is still by far the leading variety and is worldwide in its distribution.

Carrizo citrange, C-35 citrange are good rootstocks of accession. Season of ripeness is January to May in California.

Prepared by the Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection at The University of California Riverside.