Fruit trees don’t just add beauty and color to your landscape, many varieties also yield a bounty of delicious fruit that you can use for snacking and cooking. While there are plenty of reasons to plant a fruit tree in your yard, there are certain varieties to be wary of. Some fruit trees can be invasive, hard to prune, or produce fruit that does more harm than good (think: a mess of crushed berries on your newly paved driveway). Ahead, gardening experts share the fruit trees you should never plant in your yard—and why to avoid them.
Fruiting Crabapple
Fruiting crabapples (Malus spp.) are beautiful flowering trees, but they can get messy. “The small, bitter fruits they produce are great for wildlife but can be a pain to clean up after the fruit drops in early winter,” says certified arborist Ben Heusinkvelt. “Avoid planting them over driveways and sidewalks where the fruit can be trampled and stuck onto shoes and tires.”
Consider trying fruitless varieties of crabapple as an alternative. “Prairie rose and spring snow are non-bearing varieties that will look and smell great without the mess,” says Heusinkvelt.
Female Ginkgo
Gingko trees (Ginkgo Biloba) are one of the oldest tree species in the world, renowned for their beautiful fall foliage. While you can still enjoy their beauty in your landscape, avoid planting female varieties.
“Ginkgo is dioecious, meaning that there are separate male and female plants,” says horticulturist Damon Abdi. “The female plants should be avoided, as they produce a foul-smelling fleshy fruit that creates a mess in the landscape. Instead, stick to male versions of ginkgo.
Mulberry
Beloved for their fast-growing nature, mulberry trees (Morus alba) are found in almost every state across the U.S. “However, plant them in the wrong location and you’ll find their falling fruit can stain almost any surface,” says Heusinkvelt. “The average mulberry tree can produce over 75 gallons worth of small berries, which can stain concrete, car paint, and get tracked into the house on the bottom of shoes.”
Abdi adds that this plant is considered invasive in some areas and is particularly difficult to remove once established. “Herbicides are seldom effective without follow-up, and removal recommendations are targeted for when the plant is still a seedling,” he says.
Bradford Pear
There are a few reasons you may want to skip planting Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana) in your yard. The most notable reason is its white flowers, which are strikingly pretty, but have a strong, unpleasant smell. While it does produce fruit, it is inedible and not particularly attractive.
Additionally, Bradford pear is known for its weak branches that are prone to breaking in icy weather and wind. It’s also invasive in some areas. “Between the short lifespan, unappealing flower scent, and invasive potential of this species, it is recommended to select alternative fruiting trees in the landscape,” says Abdi.
Osage Orange
Osage orange (Maclura pomifera), also known as hedge, is native to many regions of the U.S. and is a common forest undergrowth tree. But this tree is unsuitable for landscapes for several reasons, says Heusinkvelt. This is primarily do to its thick, tough trunk and branches, which are rot resistant, but extremely dense and difficult to prune. “The tree produces large, green fruit that can be larger than softballs. Needless to say, you don’t want anything underneath it when those begin to fall,” he says. “Osage orange also produces thorns on its trunk and branches as a self-defense against wildlife.”
Cherry Plum
While cherry plum trees (Prunus cerasifera) offer beautiful foliage, this small tree has many issues. “The weak wood of this plant lends itself to issues with long-term stability, often getting damaged by weather events and limiting the lifespan of this specimen,” says Abdi. “The fruit of this plant has some ornamental value; however, if located near sidewalks, the fruit often creates a mess that can stain pedestrian pathways. The seeds of the fruit contain poisonous compounds that may make people and pets ill.”
Tallow Tree
Tallow trees (Triadica sebifera) are highly invasive in some areas of the U.S. “The green fruit ripens into capsules that burst, revealing white seeds that resemble popcorn,” says Abdi. “Tallow trees produce a prolific number of seeds which can outcompete preferred and/or native plants in the landscape.”
What’s more, this tree can be extremely difficult to remove once it’s established in your landscape. “It is not recommended to plant this tree in the yard, and early removal of seedlings on the outskirts of the landscape is recommended to stop the issue before it gets out of hand,” says Abdi.
