You don’t need a massive orchard or a lot of gardening experience to grow certain types of fruit trees. Many of the most common types of fruit sold at the grocery store are relatively easy to grow in a small garden or a roomy pot. If you’ve ever dreamed of picking your own plump peaches, plums, and pears, check out this list of fruit trees for beginners to start growing.
Apple
Brie Williams
When most people consider growing their own fruit, they think about apples. Not only are apple trees easy to find at most garden centers, but they’re also cold hardy, and some varieties, like ‘Golden Delicious,’ are even self-fertile. If you’re working with a small-space garden, grow dwarf apple varieties or explore space-saving pruning techniques like espalier, which works particularly well with apple trees. With more than 7,000 varieties of apple trees available worldwide, you should have no problem finding a favorite.
Growing Conditions: Full sun and average, well-draining soil
Size: 8–40 feet
Hardiness Zones: 4–9
Pear
Ray Kachatorian
Many gardeners consider pear trees to be the easiest fruit trees to grow, with Asian pears being particularly low-maintenance. While fire blight can affect some species of pear trees, these plants are relatively disease-proof and have a good deal of cold tolerance. Most pear trees don’t self-pollinate, so plant them in groups of two or more, although you might find a few self-fertile pear varieties. Make sure to select a pear tree appropriate for the number of “chill hours” in your area.
Growing Conditions: Full sun and rich, well-draining soil
Size: 8–20 feet
Hardiness Zones: 3–10
Plum
Augustas Cetkauskas / Getty Images
Another easy-going fruit tree, plums are adaptable plants that are impressively productive. Many European plum varieties are self-fertile, while hardier American plums need to be cross-pollinated. However, if you plant at least two compatible American plum trees together, you can get fruit in areas as chilly as USDA Zone 3.
Growing Conditions: Full sun and rich, well-draining soil
Size: 10–20 feet
Hardiness Zones: 3-9
Cherry
Bob Stefko
Edible cherry trees are usually divided into two categories: sweet cherries, which are ideal for desserts, and sour or tart cherries, which are often used in baked goods and cocktails. Both types of cherries are easy to grow, and you can find them in standard and dwarf sizes for large or small gardens. Best of all, many types of cherries are self-fertile, but you’ll get a bigger harvest of fruit if you grow multiple trees with companion plants that attract pollinators.
Growing Conditions: Full sun and rich, well-draining soil
Size: 8–30 feet
Hardiness Zones: 4–8
Common Fig
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At first glance, fig trees might seem intimidating plants to grow, but these fruit trees are more adaptable than you think. Cold-tolerant fig varieties, such as ‘Chicago Hardy,’ can grow in Zones 5 and warmer, but you can keep dwarf figs in chillier locations by planting them in roomy pots and bringing the pots indoors or into a greenhouse in winter. If you need more reasons to give figs a go, they grow faster than many other fruit trees, and many varieties are self-pollinating.
Growing Conditions: Full sun and rich, well-draining soil
Size: 10–30 feet
Hardiness Zones: 5–10
Citrus
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Growers in warm locations have no trouble keeping citrus trees around as long as they are planted in full sun and rich soil and are watered regularly. If you don’t live in Zone 8 or warmer, you can still grow your own citrus by keeping dwarf trees in pots and overwintering them indoors. Some of the best pint-sized citrus plants for indoor growing include dwarf kumquats and Meyer lemons.
Growing Conditions: Full sun and rich, well-draining soil
Size: 5–10 feet tall
Hardiness Zones: 8-11
Peach
Buff Strickland
If you fantasize about making your own canned peaches or homemade peach pies, save some room in your garden for a peach tree or two. Most peach trees are self-pollinating plants that can adapt to a range of growing conditions, and you can even keep cold-hardy varieties in Zones 4 and 5. Like many other fruit trees, peaches fruit best if you prune them occasionally and apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in spring.
Growing Conditions: Full sun and rich, well-draining soil
Size: 5–25 feet
Hardiness Zones: 4–10
Persimmon
Helen Norman
Persimmon trees aren’t as commonly grown as some fruit trees, but they’re a great plant to experiment with if you crave the unusual or want to keep a native fruit tree around. While gardeners can try their hand at growing Asian persimmons, American persimmons are native to North America. They’re especially low-maintenance plants that tolerate cold and support local wildlife. Wild American persimmon trees usually max out at around 15 to 30 feet tall in gardens.
Growing Conditions: Full sun and rich, well-draining soil
Size: 15–80 feet
Hardiness Zones: 4–9
Nectarine
Russieseo / Getty Images
Gardeners who can’t stand fuzzy peach skins may want to try growing nectarines instead of peaches. A type of fuzz-free peach, nectarines have the same basic care needs as peach trees, but their smooth skins make them even easier to work with in the kitchen. Pruning excess fruit helps trees produce larger and more flavorful nectarines, while companion planting with scented herbs can deter common fruit tree pests, like aphids and spider mites.
Growing Conditions: Full sun and rich, well-draining soil
Size: 10-25 feet
Hardiness Zones: 4-9
Pawpaw
Bob Stefko
Apple trees are native to Central Asia, and peach trees hail from Northwest China, but pawpaws are native to North America. Unlike most fruit trees, pawpaws can fruit in light shade, although they are more productive in sunny locations. Pawpaws are also relatively drought tolerant and disease resistant, and they’re sure to delight adventurous eaters with their custard-like texture and unique taste reminiscent of mango mixed with hints of banana and vanilla.
Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and moist, loamy, acidic soil
Size: 15–30 feet
Hardiness Zones: 4–9
