These fruit trees are perfect for your Florida garden!
If you are a gardener living in Florida and you’re looking to plant some fruit trees, you are in the right place! The Sunshine State has its challenges when it comes to gardening. The hot summers are not the friendliest for most plants, but there is a wide variety of fruit trees that love this weather.
Growing your own fruit trees in Florida doesn’t just provide you with fresh, homegrown produce; it also enhances your garden’s beauty and supports local wildlife.
Whether you have a spacious backyard or a smaller urban space, there is a perfect tree for any garden. Ready to make your garden a real oasis?
1. Contender Peach
This is not the Peach State, but this doesn’t mean you can grow these fruit trees in here. Florida is the perfect state for the Contender Peach, especially Central and North Florida.
The Contender Peach produces medium- to large-sized peaches, and they are known for their delicious flavor and satisfying texture. But this is not all! These peaches are also freestone!
Another thing that convinces many gardeners that this is the perfect fruit tree for them is the fact that this tree is self-pollinating. Its flowers are incredibly wonderful. The pink blossoms that appear in the spring will make any garden pop.
Try to plant this tree in full sun or partial shade since it loves the sun. But in warmer Zone 9 regions, some afternoon shade can help protect the tree from excessive heat. Also, to support fruit production, don’t forget to fertilize it in the spring before blooming. Then pruning should only be performed during the winter when the tree is dormant.
2. Hass Avocado
Do you love guacamole? Are you living in Florida? If you answered yes to both of these questions, then you should know that Hass Avocado is one of the best fruit trees you can plant in this region!
Maybe this avocado tree comes from California, but it thrives in Florida, so if you have the chance, why not plant it? If you are in the north of Zone 9b, you’ll have to take special care of it in the winter and offer it extra protection.
Many people are such fans of “hass” fruits because they are creamy and flavorful. These are by far the best avocados you can use for guacamole. Also, you can add them to your BLT and instantly elevate that sandwich.
This is a large avocado tree that can really reach 20 feet tall, but if you want to keep it under control, you can cut the dominant vertical shoots. Another thing that makes these some of the favorite fruit trees of Florida folks is the fact that they don’t need pruning at all.
Keep in mind that avocados need a lot of nutrients to grow healthy, and for this, you’ll need to fertilize every six to eight weeks during the growing season. Also, since “Hass” is self-pollinating, you won’t need a second tree.
3. Meyer Lemon
A fruit tree garden can’t be complete without some citrus, and for this, we picked the Meyer Lemon. This tree will grow anywhere in the state of Florida, and the fruits you get are simply wonderful! These lemons taste incredible; if you’ve never tested them before, you should try them.
What makes these lemons so special is the fact that they are a hybrid between a Mandarin-Pommelo hybrid and a citron. Also, if you look at a basic lemon and a Meyer lemon and compare them, you’ll notice that the second one has darker skin. Besides their look, these lemons are more juicy and sweet, which makes them the perfect lemonade lemons.
What we like the most about this lemon tree is that you don’t need to go above and beyond when caring for it. It likes to grow in all soil types. Sand or clay, it doesn’t matter for the Meyer lemon.
If you’ve decided that you want this tree in your garden, the next step is to pick the sunniest spot you have available. This lemon loves some full sun, and you should provide it in case you want those tasty lemons to be yours. But some people planted the tree in partial shade, and it’s doing just fine.
4. Key Lime
Now that you have a lemon tree, maybe you also want a lime. One of the best fruit trees to grow in Florida is by far the Key lime, also known as the Mexican lime. Maybe you want to add some lime to your guacamole or make your beer more refreshing during the hot summer days. Once you have this tree in your garden, all of these will be possible right away.
The Key lime is an evergreen citrus tree that will produce fruits almost year-round, especially in the southern regions of the state.
One of the advantages of the Key lime is that the tree is compact, and if you don’t have a lot of space, it will feel comfortable in an area that is not large at all. It has small fruits, but they are full of flavor.
Since the Key lime is able to produce fruits at different times of the year, it means you will have fruits from different periods in the tree at the same time. This can be a little bit confusing, but you want to harvest your limes when they are just slightly softened. In this way, you can be sure they have the maximum juiciness.
As we said, this is a small tree, so it can be a great container plant. It needs full sun and a well-draining soil.
5. Brown Turkey Fig
Many consider figs a delicacy, and because of this, the Brown Turkey fig can be one of the best fruit trees to start growing. It is true that this is a fig tree that is not bothered by the cold weather, but this doesn’t mean it will mind growing in your sunny Florida garden.
What makes this tree so special is its fruit. Its figs are large, succulent, and delicious. You can easily cut them into slices and serve them raw or paired with some wine and cheese. Pro tip: you can bake them into a cheesecake and be sure you’ll get divine results.
One thing you should know is that the Brown Turkey fig is a large tree, so you need a yard that has space. On the other hand, it might occupy a good chunk of your garden, but at the end of the day it will give you shade, and this is a big thing, especially during the scorching Florida summers.
The secret to creating the perfect environment for this one of the fruit trees from our list is to plant it in rich, well-draining, acidic soil. If it is in the best condition, the Brown Turkey Fig will grow extremely fast. Also, don’t forget to water it regularly until it develops its root system. Once it is big enough and developed, this tree is drought-tolerant.
At the beginning of the spring and once more during mid-summer, this fig tree will need fertilizers. Then, when it’s dormant in the winter, you can lightly prune it. Despised being a self-fertile tree, you can plant one more tree too; make sure you get the best harvest.
If you want to water your plants and make the job easier, then this watering can might be perfect for you: Bloem Promo Watering Can: 2 Gallon Capacity
You should also read: 5 Fast-Growing Shrubs for a Beautiful Garden
