Want fresh fruit right from your backyard? I never thought I could grow my own fruit until I tried these amazing trees!
After lots of hits and misses in my garden, I’ve found the 10 best fruit trees that anyone can grow. Trust me, if I can do it, so can you!
1. Cherry Trees
Key Features
Watching my cherry trees burst into stunning spring blossoms is one of my favorite garden moments. These beauties offer both ornamental value and delicious fruits.
I learned quickly that birds love cherries as much as we do! Now I always use scare tape or netting to protect my precious harvest.
Recommended Variety
The Stella cherry has been perfect for my smaller yard. As a self-fertile variety, it grows just 10-12 feet tall and started producing fruit within two years of planting.
For my pie-baking adventures, I added a sour cherry tree. Since it’s self-fertile, one tree is all you need for amazing homemade pies.
2. Plum Trees
Characteristics
Let me tell you, plum trees are a dream for busy gardeners like me! They stay wonderfully compact and are surprisingly easy to maintain.
The best part? My plum tree produces so much fruit that I can share with neighbors and still have plenty for preserving.
Variety Highlight
The Opal plum has become my go-to recommendation for beginning fruit gardeners. It’s self-fertile and produces early in the season.
I love how the fruits ripen over a two-week window. Trust me, this spacing makes harvesting so much more manageable than dealing with everything at once!
3. Peach Trees
Features
Nothing beats biting into a fresh peach from your own tree! The fuzzy skin and juicy flesh make these a family favorite in our garden.
The spring flowers alone are worth growing these beauties, and since most varieties are self-fertile, you only need one tree.
Growing Considerations
I made sure to check our zone’s cold hardiness before planting. Here’s a pro tip from my mistakes: avoid southern exposures to prevent early bloom frost damage.
For my friends with tiny gardens, I always suggest looking into columnar peaches. They’re perfect for containers and small spaces.
4. Mandarin Orange Tree
Growing Information
Living in zone 9, I’ve had great success with mandarin oranges. These gorgeous trees have become the highlight of my garden.
For my northern friends, I suggest trying dwarf varieties in containers. They’re much hardier than regular oranges!
Varieties
My Satsuma mandarin has proven to be incredibly cold-hardy. I’ve also experimented with Honey, Owari, and the adorable shrub-like Pixie variety.
5. Pear Trees
Characteristics
The spring blossoms on my pear trees never fail to take my breath away. These easy-growing trees have adapted beautifully to various soil conditions in my garden.
I had to wait about 3-5 years for fruit, but oh, was it worth the patience!
Important Notes
Here’s something I wish I’d known earlier: most pear trees need a friend! I always tell new gardeners to plant two compatible varieties.
My Bartlett and Anjou pears make perfect partners. The Bartlett gives us those classically sweet, juicy pears, while Anjou is fantastic for both fresh eating and my baking projects.
6. Apricot Trees
Features
Once you’ve tasted a sun-warmed apricot straight from your tree, there’s no going back to store-bought! These medium-sized trees fit perfectly in my suburban garden.
The dwarf varieties have been a game-changer for my smaller growing spaces.
Growing Tips
Most of my apricot varieties need a pollinating partner. After losing blossoms to late frost one year, I now always recommend late-flowering varieties for cold zones.
7. Apple Trees
Growing Options
My container-grown apple trees prove you don’t need acres of land to grow your own fruit! The dwarf and cordon varieties have worked wonderfully in my small backyard orchard.
Important Notes
The spring blossoms make my garden look like a fairy tale. Remember though, these beauties need cross-pollination to produce fruit.
8. Calamondin Tree
Characteristics
These little gems produce the most adorable 1-inch fruits that look like tiny tangerines. The combination of sweet peels and tart flesh makes them unique in my citrus collection.
The fragrant white flowers and bright orange fruits create a stunning display against the deep green leaves.
Growing Information
My patio has become the perfect home for these container-friendly trees. They’re surprisingly tough, handling temperatures down to 20°F.
9. Fig Tree
Benefits
If you’re looking for low-maintenance fruit trees like I was, figs are your answer! Being self-pollinating means one tree is all you need.
Varieties
My Black Jack and Improved Brown Turkey figs have stayed naturally compact without much pruning. Some of my gardening friends let theirs grow into colony-like oversized shrubs.
In colder areas, I’ve seen beautiful figs thriving in containers, moved to protected spots during winter.
10. Lemon Tree
Features
My Improved Meyer Lemon tree has become the workhorse of my kitchen garden. The fruits hang on the tree for months, providing fresh lemons whenever I need them.
Variety Highlight
Container growing has worked perfectly for my lemons. They spend summer outdoors soaking up the sun, then come inside to a protected spot for winter.
Having fresh lemons year-round has completely transformed my cooking and baking adventures. There’s nothing like stepping outside to pick a lemon for your morning tea or favorite recipe!