Fruit Trees and Berry Plants
Before you pick a fruit, check two numbers: your USDA hardiness zone and your area's chill hours. Apples, peaches and cherries need cold winters to fruit. Citrus, mango and avocado won't survive a hard freeze unless you grow them in containers and bring them inside. Figs, blueberries and grapes sit in between and suit most of the country. You'll find grafted trees, bare-root and potted plants, and hardwood cuttings here.
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How to choose a fruit tree
- Zone and chill hours: chill hours are winter hours between 32 and 45°F. Low-chill peaches and apples (under 400 hours) exist for the South, and high-chill types need 800+.
- Pollination: figs, most peaches, sour cherries and most citrus are self-fertile. Most apples, pears, sweet cherries and blueberries fruit far better with a second variety nearby.
- Grafted vs seedling vs cutting: a grafted tree fruits in 2 to 4 years and stays true to variety. Trees grown from seed take years longer and the fruit won't match the parent. Fig and grape cuttings do grow true.
- Containers: dwarf citrus, figs, blueberries and grafted mango grow well in 10 to 25 gallon pots, which is how cold-zone growers keep tropical fruit.
Popular fruit at a glance
| Fruit | Zones (in ground) | Self-fertile? | Years to first fruit (grafted or rooted) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fig | 7 to 11 (some to 6) | Yes | 1 to 2 |
| Citrus | 9 to 11, or containers | Mostly | 2 to 3 |
| Mango | 10 to 11, or containers | Yes | 2 to 4 |
| Apple | 3 to 8 | Mostly no | 2 to 5 |
| Peach | 5 to 9 | Mostly yes | 2 to 4 |
| Blueberry | 3 to 10, by type | Better with 2 | 2 to 3 |
What to skip
- A tree rated for a warmer zone than yours, unless you're growing it in a pot and have a place to overwinter it.
- Planting a bare-root tree late. Get bare-root stock in the ground while it's still dormant, in late winter or early spring.
FAQ
What's the easiest fruit tree to grow?
A fig. It's self-fertile, fruits within a year or two, tolerates poor soil and grows well in a container.
Can I grow citrus indoors?
Yes. Dwarf Meyer lemon, kumquat and calamondin fruit in pots near a sunny window or under a grow light, and they can summer outdoors.
Do I need two fruit trees?
For most apples, pears, sweet cherries and blueberries, yes. Figs, peaches and most citrus fruit on their own.
What are chill hours?
Hours between roughly 32 and 45°F during dormancy. A tree that doesn't get enough of them leafs out late and sets little fruit.
Related collections
Vegetable Seeds · Bonsai Trees, Seeds and Cuttings · Mycorrhizae and Soil Biology · Pots and Containers
