Gardening Guide: The Best 16 Fruit Trees for a Home Garden

With so many different types of fruit trees, it can be daunting to choose the best fruit tree for your yard; peruse this list of popular fruit trees to learn about the characteristics of each and narrow down your options.

1. 1. Apple tree: This popular fruit-bearing tree has 7,500 cultivars to choose from, with most producing white flower blossoms in addition to fresh fruit. Apple trees thrive best in hardiness zones 3–8 and can start indoors from seed, but your trees will grow to fruiting size sooner if you start from root stocks or young trees. Central and Northern regions should plant in early spring, when the soil begins to warm; regions with milder winters may also see success planting in early fall. The crabapple variety is a favorite choice for those wishing to attract birds, though crabapples aren't typically viewed as an edible fruit. Learn how to grow apple trees here.
2. 2. Apricot tree: Apricot trees blossom with pinkish-white flowers in early spring and produce stone fruit about 120 days later. Apricot fruits are orange with velvety skin and contain an inner flesh that's both sweet and tart. If you're looking to grow your own apricot tree from seed, all you need to start is an apricot pit and a little patience. Apricot trees grow in USDA hardiness zones 5–9 and thrive in a full-sun environment with well-drained, loamy soil. Every spring before the new growing season begins, make sure to prune your apricot tree to increase your chances of a bountiful harvest. Learn how to grow apricot trees here.
3. 3. Avocado tree: If you've ever wished you had an endless supply of guacamole, growing your own avocado tree is an option worth considering. You can start an avocado tree from a pit, but you'll have to wait a minimum of five years for it to flower and bear fruit. A more convenient option is to instead plant a nursery-grown tree. Since avocado trees are tropical plants, they don't fare well in cold weather and tend to thrive in the southernmost regions of the United States. When choosing a planting site, seek a full sun environment that's protected from wind and has soil with exceptional drainage.
4. 4. Cherry tree: Cherry trees come in over 1,000 different types, but only a handful of varieties are commonly cultivated. The two main types of cherries are sweet cherries and sour cherries (or tart cherries). Sweet cherries—the more popular of the two types—grow in USDA hardiness zones 5–9 and require at least two trees in order to produce fruit by cross-pollination. Sour cherries are mostly harvested for making jams. Sour cherry trees are self-fertile trees that grow primarily in USDA hardiness zones 4–6. Many sour cherry varieties grow on semi-dwarf trees, making them an ideal option for smaller home gardens. Cherry trees also produce fragrant blooms that attract beneficial pollinators like birds and bees.
5. 5. Fig tree: The common fig is a perennial fruit in the moraceae (or mulberry) family that is native to western Asia and the Middle East. Most fig varieties thrive in warm USDA hardiness zones 8–10, but some cold-hardy varieties can handle the harsher winters in zones 6 and 7. Warm-weather fig varieties include Kadota, Calimyrna, Green Ischia and Sierra figs. Cold-hardy varieties include Brown Turkey, Celeste, and Chicago Hardy figs.
6. 6. Grapefruit tree: This evergreen citrus tree thrives in a warm, temperate climate. Grapefruit trees thrive in bright sunlight and grow best in well-drained, loamy soil. The larger Ruby Red grapefruit variety grows up to 20 feet high upon maturity, while smaller dwarf varieties only grow up to 12 feet high and are more suitable for container growing.
7. 7. Lemon tree: The common lemon is a tender perennial citrus tree. Lemons are a summer fruit that are sensitive to cold and frost, growing best in USDA hardiness zones 9–11. Lemon trees grow best in a full sun environment with a rich, well-drained loamy soil. Common lemon varieties include Bearss or Sun Gold lemons. Dwarf varieties of lemons—like the Meyer lemon and Eureka lemon—are suitable for container growing in smaller spaces.
8. 8. Nectarine tree: Nectarines are a type of peach without any fuzz. Like other types of stone fruit, they come in two varieties: clingstones and freestones. Clingstone nectarines have flesh that clings to the pit, while freestone nectarine flesh separates from the pit effortlessly. Nectarine trees grow best in USDA hardiness zones 5–9 and thrive in climates with hot summers. Growing a nectarine tree from seed takes three to four years to produce fruit, so if you want your tree to bear fruit sooner, you can purchase a young tree from a local nursery. Learn how to grow nectarine trees here.
9. 9. Orange tree: The sweet orange is a tender perennial fruit tree belonging to the citrus tree family. Oranges are summer fruits that are sensitive to cold and frost, growing in warm USDA hardiness zones 9–11. Common orange varieties include Valencia, Trovita, Ruby (or Blood), and Washington Navel oranges. There are also sour oranges, which include Seville and Willowleaf oranges. Many types of orange trees are dwarf fruit trees, with popular dwarf varieties including Valencia, Trovita, and Washington Navel oranges.
10. 10. Pawpaw tree: A pawpaw tree is a large tree that bears edible pawpaw fruit. Pawpaws are a tropical fruit (and largest edible fruit) native to North America, found in 25 of the United States and parts of Canada. The flesh has a custard-like texture and banana-mango flavor. Paw-paw leaves start out green, turning yellow in the fall. Pawpaw trees love humidity, grow in full sun or partial shade conditions, and thrive in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9. Pawpaw fruits have a short shelf life after they ripen, which is why they aren’t as popular in grocery stores or at farmer’s markets. They also contain neurotoxins in their skin and raw flesh that can cause skin irritation, stomach aggravation, or other allergic reactions.
11. 11. Peach tree: Peach trees bear juicy fruits that are a healthy snack when eaten on their own or are the star ingredient in baked desserts, such as cobblers or pies. If you don’t mind waiting a few years for your peach tree to bear fruit, you can start a peach tree by planting the pit. Otherwise it's best to start your peach tree using a young tree purchased from a local nursery. While peach trees grow best in climates with hot summers, they must first experience a cold dormancy period in order to thrive. To ensure your peaches have a sweet, full flavor, make sure their outer skin is completely void of any green coloring before harvesting. Learn how to grow peach trees here.
12. 12. Pear tree: Pears are popular fruit trees for the home garden because they’re low-maintenance, they have beautiful blossoms, and they grow in small spaces. As if that weren’t enough, pear trees are as hardy as apple trees (they can thrive in USDA hardiness zones 3–10) and are very pest- and disease-resistant. There are two different varieties of pears: European pears and Asian pears. Asian pears ripen on the tree, while European pear trees ripen after harvesting. Learn how to grow pear trees here.
13. 13. Persimmon tree: Native to the southeastern United States, this fruit bearing plant comes in two varieties: astringent persimmon fruit and non-astringent persimmon fruit. Astringent persimmons are shaped like peppers and are ideal for baking, while non-astringent persimmons are shaped like tomatoes and are best eaten raw. Persimmon trees grow in USDA hardiness zones 4–11, thrive in full sun conditions, and flourish in slightly acidic soil.
14. 14. Plum tree: Plum trees are a great fruit tree for beginners and expert gardeners alike. They're cold hardy, require little maintenance after they’re established, and produce heavy crops of delicious stone fruit. American hybrid plum varieties are best in cold and moderately cold climates, European plum varieties are ideal for moderately cold climates, and Japanese plum varieties are perfect for mild climates. If you plan to make prunes (dried plums), use European plums. Make sure your plum variety is self-fertile, or else you’ll need to plant at least two plum trees to guarantee cross-pollination. One popular subspecies of the plum tree is the damson tree; damson plums are a common plum variety useful in fruit preserves, jams, and jellies. Learn how to grow plum trees here.
15. 15. Pomegranate tree: This small tree or shrub bears bright red fruit full of nutrient-rich seeds. Pomegranate trees grow best in USDA hardiness zones 7–12, thrive in loamy soil with good drainage, and grow best in full sun.
16. 16. Quince tree: This deciduous tree produces golden-yellow pome fruits and alluring light pink blossoms that make it a popular ornamental tree among landscape architects. Quince fruit is extremely tart, so if you wish to eat your tree’s fruit, choose a variety specifically bred to bear fruit. Most flowering quince tree varieties are too sour to eat raw, but they’re perfect for jellies, jams, and quince pudding.

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