To have fruit trees that produce fruit no matter if you’re planting in Houston, Texas or Raleigh, North Carolina, you need to be sure that you plant trees that are compatible with your climate and soil!
You can check to be compatible by checking the USDA plant hardiness zone recommendation.
If you are looking for the top fruit trees to plant in your back yard and you live in Houston, Texas, consider planting the following:
- Fig trees
- Persimmon trees
- Pomegranate
- Lemon trees
- Plum trees
- Peach trees
- Orange trees
- Cherry trees
- Apple trees
- Apricot trees
What Is the Soil Hardiness Zone For Houston Texas?
The USDA has a “Plant Hardiness Zone” map that divides the country into 13 zones.
Each hardiness zone is categorized by average low winter temperature with each zone being a 10 degree Fahrenheit band.
Texas has five of the 13 hardiness zones consisting of 6, 7, 8, 9A, and 9B (collectively referred to as zone 9.)
Houston falls into zone 9A.
In zone 9A, the minimum average temperature range is between 20°F and 25°F – as a result, a fruit tree must have the capability to survive average winter temperatures between 20°F and 25°F to produce fruit in Houston.
USDA Hardiness zone 9 includes long hot summers longer than other regions.
Good to know: This area also has a first frost in mid-December and a last frost in early March. These frost dates will help determine when to plant your fruit trees for the best chance of survival.
10 Best Fruit Trees For Houston
Fruit trees that can grow in zone 9A are sometimes called “low chill” fruit trees, as they can withstand low winter temperatures without affecting the fruit or tree.
Some low-chill fruit trees will even require a colder period!
1. Fig Trees
USDA zone 9 is perfect for growing your fig tree as they thrive here in a Mediterranean climate!
You will want to plant fig trees in the spring or autumn months. If you are in zone 9A, it is recommended that you wait until after the last spring frost before planting.
There is a whole slew of fig trees from which to choose from if the tree you select accommodates your hardiness zone and the region, or part of your yard you are planning to grow (full-sun exposure, partial shade, or well-drained soil).
Some fig varieties you may consider growing in your backyard in Houston are:
- Brown Turkey fig trees
- Celeste fig trees
- White Marseilles fig trees
- Brunswick fig trees
- Violette de Bordeaux fig trees
2. Persimmon Trees
There are two varieties of persimmon trees- the American persimmon, and the Asian persimmon.
The American persimmon is less susceptible to cold and can survive temperatures as low as -25.
The Asian persimmon is not as hardy and will survive to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant established persimmon trees in the fall or bare root persimmons in the winter to give the plant time to establish roots before active growth begins.
There are many varieties of persimmon trees, including astringent and non-astringent.
Astringent persimmons are fruits that are best eaten when completely ripe and soft.
Non-astringent persimmons have less tannins and are enjoyable even when not completely ripe.
Below are a few persimmon varieties to consider planting in your Houston backyard:
- Ichi Ki Kei Jiro persimmon trees
- Saijo persimmon trees
- Maekawa Jiro persimmon trees
- Giombo persimmon trees
- Fuyugaki persimmon trees
3. Pomegranate Trees
Pomegranate trees are happiest in tropical or temperate climates (Mediterranean climate) where they can be grown as shrubs or kept pruned as small trees.
Pomegranate bare-root plants and ball and burlapped plants are best planted after the last spring frost and before they begin active growth.
You can plant pomegranate plants grown in containers throughout the year but not when drought is occurring or during extremely hot outdoor weather for the health of the plants.
There are many variations of pomegranate trees, with different characteristics or flavor of fruit.
Some of the varieties of pomegranate trees to consider for your Houston backyard include:
- Angel Red pomegranate trees
- Sienevyi pomegranate trees
- Arianna pomegranate trees
- Sin Pepe pomegranate trees
- Gissarskii Rozovyi pomegranate trees
4. Lemon Trees
Lemon trees do well in humid climates with tropical and subtropical temperatures.
There are dwarf and full-sized lemon trees that both produce fruit.
February is ideal time to plant lemon trees. Planting in February allows the lemon tree time to develop a root system before the scorching hot summer months and stress.
There are many great lemon tree varieties to choose from, but not all lemon trees will take well to the cold winter temperatures of Houston in the winter.
Houston backyard lemon tree varieties that worth considering are:
- Ichang lemon trees
- Meyer lemon trees
- Variegated pink lemon trees
- Ponderosa lemon trees
- Tiwanica lemon trees
5. Plum Trees
You may want to consider plum trees; plum trees can be ornery and prefer to grow in hardiness zones 3-8 but there are some varieties in hardiness zone 9 that thrive.
If you choose to plant plum trees, then select the same or similar flowering donut legume to compatibility of the HZ of your tree.
If you are planting bare root trees, then it is important to plant plum trees in late winter or early spring while the tree is dormant. Migrating dormancy is much easier than transplant shock.
There are many varieties of plum trees to choose from, but keep in mind the same as with fruit trees, not all of them are compatible with the hardiness zone 9 conditions.
Houston backyard plum tree varieties are:
- Methley plum trees
- Santa Rosa plum trees
- Italian plum trees
- Sugarplum trees
- Bruce plum trees
- Burbank plum trees
- Shiro Japanese plum trees
6. Peach Trees
Peach trees flourish in climates with hot summers and winters that are below 45°F – which is a prerequisite for proper growth of the peach tree.
Peach trees should be planted during early spring or during the late winter months when the tree is dormant so that by the time summer rolls around, the tree has roots established securing it in the ground.
There just are not a tremendous variety of peach trees that thrive in zone 9, but consider planting the following peach tree varieties in your back yard in Houston:
- Suncrest peach trees
- O’Henry peach trees
7. Orange Trees
Orange trees thrive in sub-tropical and tropical climates but are leery of the cold.
Orange trees will thrive in the Houston, Texas area, even with a few colder, winter temperatures.
When planting orange trees in zone 9 you should plant your trees during early springtime to get the most sun exposure during the hottest parts of the summer before the colder weather comes along.
Do not plant orange trees until the last frost of the season has gone before you plant since frost can damage your orange tree and fruit.
There are lots of orange tree varieties but consider the following orange tree varieties when planting in Houston Texas:
- Cara Cara orange trees
- Valencia orange trees
- Fukumoto orange trees
- Midsweet orange trees
- Washington orange trees
- Trovita orange trees
- Midknight orange trees
8. Cherry Trees
When growing sweet cherries plant a cherry tree in a spot with low humidity and mild temperatures.
When growing tart cherries, plant a cherry tree with a minimum temperature of at least two months a year in colder exposure.
Plant cherries in spring and fall when soil is moist-soft, and viable air circulation, and sun exposure.
Cherry trees do not grow well in shade!!
There are over fifteen varieties of cherry trees; some varieties are more popular with hobbyist than others.
However, only a few select varieties of cherry trees will survive in Houston’s low chill climate.
Some varieties of cherry trees we recommend for your Houston Back Yard to Plant Include:
- Bing cherry tree
- Lapins cherry tree
- Early Richmond cherry tree
- Stella cherry tree
- Montmorency cherry tree
- Van cherry tree
- English Morello cherry tree
9. Apple Trees
Apple trees are one of the most widely-grown fruit trees in the nation because of their diverse range of growing temperature conditions.
Apple trees grow best in areas that experience mid to high humidity in summer, and cold for winter.
In hardiness zone 9, Apple trees should plant in the early spring when the soil is moist, but not saturated.
Like most of species of fruit trees the apple tree will still be dormant when they plant.
There are over 7,000 types of apple varieties grown around the world, but there are three types of apple trees that grow best in Texas.
The apple tree varieties are:
- Gala apple trees
- Red delicious apple trees
- Golden delicious apple trees
10. Apricot Trees
Apricot trees thrive with dry spring weather, and cold winter weather. Note that it is possible for the entire apricot tree crop to be lost when the temperature drops below 28°F.
It is preferred to plant apricot trees from late December to early February since the apricot trees still will be dormant.
Planting in the early periods allows for time to form a healthy root structure before the summer months.
There are eleven varieties of apricot trees.
Some apricot trees to consider planting in your Houston Backyard include:
- Blenheim apricot trees
- Cot-N-Candy apriums apricot hybrid trees
- Summer Delight apriums apricot hybrid trees
Final Thoughts
No doubt, you can see there are plenty of great options for – suitable fruit trees that are perfect for your region. At the end of it, it is entirely up to your cited preference.
Be mindful of the soil conditions, crop, and size, and necessary care.