Top 6 Tropical Fruit Trees to Grow: Grow tropical fruit trees if you like challenges in the garden! Laurelynn and Byron Martin, co-owners of Logee’s Plants for Home & Garden in Danielson, Connecticut, and authors of Growing Tasty Tropical Plants, have helped homeowners grow oranges, lemons, dragon fruit, and more for years.
Top 6 Tropical Fruit Trees to Grow
You might think tropical fruit trees only grow in mild, sunny climates and southern plant zones. Growing your favorite exotic fruit is easier than ever thanks to the growing number of ornamentals and dwarf varieties.
Here are some of Laurelynn and Byron’s best tropical fruit trees, but you can buy the book for more ideas. Sunlight and the right container will change your view of houseplants.
Lemon
If you’re new to tropical fruit trees, try lemons. They can be grown in a hanging basket or 3–5 feet. Take the fruits as they ripen or leave them on the tree to harvest all year.
We love it: Simple! A popular cultivar, Meyer lemons produce almost twice as much juice as regular lemons. Ponderosa is another good choice because it fruits easily.
Black Pepper
Grow your own spices, too. Pepper fits containers naturally. After a few years in a pot, one plant will produce many peppercorns. The woody vine grows 2–3 feet with support and pruning.
We love it: Black peppers fruit year-round except for a month or two in winter when light is low.
Also See:Â
How To Get More Peppers From Your Plants
Pineapple
One of the most fun tropical fruits to grow, but it takes patience. Pineapples need heat and direct sunlight for two years before producing fruit. It grows 2–3 feet and blooms or fruits year-round.
We love it: What’s not to love? Pineapple is sweet and juicy, and growing one at home is cool. Best cultivars include Royale or Smooth Cayenne.
Star Fruit
With its five-pointed star shape, this sweet fruit can be 4 inches wide and 7 inches long. Tropical fruit trees can grow to 30 feet tall and feed a village. With pruning, they reach 5 feet indoors.
Why we love it: The fruit’s shape makes it essential. Plus, it’s full of healthy antioxidants and flavonoids.
Dragon Fruit
It produces large fruits and fragrant nighttime blossoms. Its sprawling vines require a pot trellis to support its 4–6-foot growth. If grown indoors, move it outside in spring to bloom and fruit in summer and fall. Like a pear-kiwi hybrid, the fruit’s inside is soft and sweet.
Why we love it: The fruit’s scales, which give this plant its name, are striking. It requires hand-pollination when it flowers.
Myrtle-leaf Orange
This compact 2–4-foot plant, one of the most popular ornamental fruits, looks great on a windowsill. Avoid root rot by giving it lots of sunlight and keeping it dry. Though sour, the fruit will stay on the branch for months.
We love it: Its tight growth habit suits bonsai culture. Store it in a small container for years.
