Swift-Expanding Indoor Fruit Trees for Year-Round Harvest
Transforming your cozy living spaces into a lush, personal orchard is now within easy reach! These nine quick-growing trees are a dream come true for impatient gardeners yearning for juicy, flavorful fruits. Straight from your own abode!
But remember, the path to paradise is not always smooth-temperature, humidity, and pollination all require a balancing act. With the right conditions, however, these nine trees will reward you with sumptuous fruits that are just an arm's length away.
- Erin Scottberg, a licensed horticulturist and The Sill's head of content
- Justin Hancock, an expert horticulturist at Costa Farms
Growing Indoor Fruit Trees: The Ultimate Guide
Key Lime Bush
Albeit named as a bush, the Key Lime Bush (Citrus x aurantiifolia) is technically a tree. With proper pruning, it can be kept to your preferred size, adding a fresh pop of green to bright corners and enclosed patios.
According to Erin Scottberg,
Since it's a speedster, you can expect mouthwatering, pie-ready fruits as early as the plant's first season. Plus, key lime bushes self-pollinate.
- Size: 6 feet tall x 3 feet wide
- Growing conditions: Full sun, well-draining soil
Dwarf Meyer Lemon
The adorable, petite dwarf Meyer lemon trees (Citrus x meyeri) thrive best in pots with plenty of sunshine. According to Justin Hancock, these beauties produce lemons at just two to three years old.
Be on the lookout for fragrant white blossoms, glossy leaves, and sweet-tart lemons almost all year round. Meyer lemons offer a sweeter flavor as they're a hybrid between lemons and mandarins.
- Size: 4 to 6 feet tall x 2 feet wide
- Growing conditions: Full sun; well-draining, slightly acidic soil
Everything You Need to Know About Growing a Meyer Lemon Tree Indoors or Outside
Chicago Hardy Fig
Hailing from cooler climates than other figs, Chicago hardy fig plants (Ficus carica 'Chicago Hardy') are incredibly resilient and prolific. Get ready to feast on figs from late summer through fall after providing the right conditions.
According to Scottberg,
- Size: 6 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wide
- Growing conditions: Full sun, loamy, well-drained soil
Hass Avocado Tree
Never run out of ingredients for your famous guacamole with an indoor avocado tree (just don't forget the tortilla chips!)
Scottberg applauds the fast-growing Hass avocado tree (Persea americana 'Hass'), stating,
While these trees can grow very tall, keeping them in a container maintains their size manageable.
- Size: 5 to 7 feet tall x 3 feet wide
- Growing conditions: Full to part sun; sandy/loamy, well-draining soil
Master the Art of Growing an Avocado Tree From Pit
Cold Hardy Red Pomegranate
The cold hardy red pomegranate plant (Punica granatum) not only boasts striking blossoms but also versatile fruits ideal for pizzas, panna cottas, or countless other recipes.
According to Scottberg,
- Size: 8 feet tall x 4 to 5 feet wide
- Growing conditions: Full sun, well-draining soil, slightly acidic
Dwarf Cavendish Banana
Dwarf Cavendish bananas (Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Cavendish') produce fruit within its first two years under proper conditions and care. To keep you occupied, it produces stunning, large leaves and occasional ornamental flowers until then.
Hancock points out:
- Size: 5 to 6 feet tall x 6 feet wide
- Growing conditions: Bright, indirect to direct light; consistently moist, well-draining soil with high organic matter
Calamondin Orange
A mature, grafted Calamondin orange plant (Citrofortunella mitis) grants the opportunity to harvest fresh citrus just a year after purchase. This charming, bushy citrus tree offers small, tangy oranges great for marmalades or cocktails and boasts an ornamental appearance with fragrant blooms.
- Size: 3 to 4 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wide
- Growing conditions: Full sun; well-draining, slightly acidic potting mix
Acerola Cherry Tree
Libra spectators might appreciate the self-fertile acerola cherry (Malpighia emarginata), which cares for pollination all on its own.
According to Hancock,
With regular watering, well-drained soil, and humidity levels between 50 and 70 percent, the tree will produce cherries that are renowned for their high vitamin C content.
- Size: 6 feet tall x 4 to 6 feet wide
- Growing conditions: Full sun; well-draining soil
Nova Red Raspberry
Although the Nova red raspberry remains technically a bush, its lush, low-maintenance growth makes it an excellent addition to your indoor fruit garden. This plant's tiny size and abundance of bright berries make it an appealing choice for indoor plantings.
Whether you're after health, your next smoothie, or simply a fuss-free addition to your indoor garden, these quick-growing fruit trees have got you covered.
Additional Tips for Growing Indoor Fruit Trees
- Light: Most indoor fruit trees need lots of direct sunlight (8-12 hours daily) in a south-facing window or other bright location.
- Temperature: Keep the temperature between 15°C (59°F) and 26°C (79°F) for optimal growth.
- Humidity: Some tropical or subtropical trees need moderate to high humidity. Use a humidifier or mist the leaves regularly to mimic their natural humid environment.
- Soil: Use porous, well-draining soil that retains moisture but drains effectively to prevent waterlogging.
- Watering: Water when the top few centimeters of soil feel dry. Do not overwater or let water pool.
- Fertilizing: Use a fertilizer formulated for fruit trees or citrus, containing essential micronutrients like magnesium, iron, and zinc. Feed monthly during the growing season (spring and summer) but reduce feeding or cease altogether during winter.
- Pollination: Some indoor fruit trees, like the Key Lime Bush, are self-pollinating. For others, manual pollination may be necessary if the blossoms are not receiving adequate pollination from insects.
- Martha Stewart's lifestyle blog features container garden ideas, showcasing home-and-gardening projects like growing indoor fruit trees.
- With the right care and conditions, you can grow dwarf Meyer lemon trees in pots and enjoy sweet-tart lemons almost all year round.
- Transforming your houseplants section into a mini garden is achievable with trees like the cold hardy red pomegranate, which provides versatile fruits and striking blossoms for a lush indoor lifestyle.
