The hybrid was first created by two geneticists at the University of California, Riverside, James W. Cameron and Robert Soost, in April 1958.

It initially struggled in American markets, but had a resurgence in popularity after growers in Israel began advertising its sweet taste and green color to consumers in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia.

The oroblanco is a triploid citrus hybrid, resulting from a cross between an acidless pomelo (C. grandis Osbeck)[1] and the Marsh grapefruit[2] (C. paradisi Macf.).

[1] Its fruit is seedless with pale yellow flesh[3][4] and is slightly less juicy than other grapefruits,[2][5] though it does have a juice content of roughly thirty percent.

[11] As it descends from an acidless pomelo, it lacks the bitterness generally associated with grapefruit, although it does attain an acidic aftertaste if grown in colder environments, or if eaten earlier in the growing season.

[3] In Australia, where they are grown in the temperate, subtropical, and tropical zones, harvest can last anywhere from February to December, depending on the region and how much heat is received.

[1] The tree of the oroblanco quickly grows tall and spreads outward,[3] requiring an allowance of more than 20 feet horizontally when cultivated,[17] and usually begins to yield fruit within five years of being planted.

[6] It is susceptible to citrus tristeza virus; a common symptom of CTV in oroblancos is stem-pitting, which stunts tree growth and leads to fruit of small size and low quality.

[6] The oroblanco was first created as the result of a cross between an acidless pomelo (C. grandis Osbeck)[1] and the Marsh grapefruit[2] (C. paradisi Macf.

[8] However, it proved unpopular in American markets due to its thick peel, which is slow to transition from green to yellow, leading consumers to believe it was still unripe.