The flowers are fragrant and singly in the leaf or stands with few flowers together. They consist of five overgrown sepals and five free, white-colored petals. The ovary is oval and clearly down from the pen. The 20 to 25 stamens are overgrown with the several groups of stamens.

The fruit is round and yellow skinned, meat red varieties can make have a landing on the shell. The fruit is about 10 to 15 cm in diameter and has bitter flesh, which is divided into segments. The individual segments are interconnected overgrown and can not easily share. The flesh color varies depending on the variety of a bright yellow to a deep ruby red. The central axis is usually completely filled with tissue. The seeds are smooth, white inside, they contain several embryos, there are also seedless varieties.

Until 1950 its origin was unknown. It is suspected that they was discovered around of 1750 in Barbados. Today it's grown in almost all tropical countries of the world.

Some ingredients of grapefruit will interact with certain drugs, so always ask the doctor. Especially in the period of treatment with allergy products should be avoided the consumption of grapefruit.