The Most Successful Fruit Trees to Grow in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s climate is perfect for dozens of easy-to-grow fruit tree varieties.

 

Fruit trees are some of the natural world’s greatest gifts. Starting with one little sapling, they soon give you more fruit than you’ll know what to do with. The challenge is not in growing them, but rather in having the stamina to harvest their bounties and the creativity to use it all, which is a pretty good problem to have if you ask us! Fortunately, our Pennsylvania climate means there are plenty of fruit trees we can grow right in our own backyards. Here are some of the best trees to grow in Pennsylvania this spring.

 

What Fruit is Native to Pennsylvania? 

While the pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba) is the most well-known, the wild plum (Prunus americana), red mulberry (Morus rubra), and American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) fruit trees are also all native to Pennsylvania. 

 

What Fruits Can Grow in Pennsylvania?  

Pennsylvania’s climate is ideal for growing many kinds of fruit trees. Popular choices are apples, pears, plums, cherries, peaches, and berries, though native species such as persimmons, mulberries, and pawpaws also thrive here. With a little extra effort, gardeners can even grow apricot, fig, and citrus trees, though these are a bit more finicky than other native varieties. Here are our recommendations for the fruit trees that grow best in our Pennsylvania climate:  

 

Apple Trees According to the Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania ranks as the fourth largest apple producer in the country, behind Michigan, New York, and Washington State. Here in Zone 7, around Philadelphia, we can grow all the apple varieties your heart could desire, including those for eating, baking, storing, and even making cider. Apple trees require at least 8 hours of sunlight a day, and you’ll need at least two apple trees in or near your yard for pollination to occur. They also require annual late winter pruning to facilitate new growth in the spring; however, despite all that, apples are still one of the easiest fruit trees to grow in Pennsylvania.

Pear Trees  A close relative of apples, pears are another cold-hardy fruit tree that thrives in Pennsylvania. In fact, they’re even easier to grow than apples, thanks to their high disease tolerance. At a mature size, they provide an abundant harvest of pears, which are just as beautiful to gaze at as they are to eat. The key to harvesting these fruits is to do so just before they’re ripe, so that the pears fully ripen indoors.

Plum Trees Not many people think of Pennsylvania as plum country, but they are another one of the best fruits to grow here. In fact, the home range of our native variety, Prunus americana, runs throughout the state, all the way down to Georgia and into the Midwest. Domestic varieties produce abundant harvests, are hardy against disease, and remain small in size. Plus, plum trees tolerate hot weather.

Peach Trees  You don’t have to go down to Georgia to grow peaches; they’re quite at home here, too! Peach harvests are especially bountiful in the southern third of the state, where frost is less likely to freeze the early spring blossoms. Unlike apples and pears, peaches actually increase production during hot summers, but they’ll still produce reliable (and delicious!) fruit even if we have a normal summer.

Cherry Trees  Cherry trees are just as prized for their incredible spring blossoms as they are for their fruit. Their ability to turn some Philadelphia streets into a canopy of blossoms during the first weeks of April translates very well to your backyard, where they’ll put on an equally beautiful display, just for you! One of the earliest fruits for harvest, they start ripening in late May and carry on through June into mid-July. Both sweet and sour cherries grow successfully in our region.

Pawpaw Trees One of the few tropical fruits to grow in our region, pawpaws are actually native to the Carolinian forests that cover the eastern states. Their oblong fruit tastes like a cross between a banana, mango, and pineapple. Because the fruits don’t keep long after harvest, pawpaws have not been commercialized. However, they’re best enjoyed fresh off the tree in your backyard anyways, and are some of the tastiest local fruits to enjoy!

Persimmon Trees Persimmons are another unique fruit tree that you can grow in Pennsylvania. The golden-orange fruit is as sweet as honey once it ripens in the fall. The leaves also turn a beautiful dark purple in the autumn, making them a prized decorative tree in any landscape. They also don’t require much maintenance when grown in their favorite soil, which is moist, loamy, and well-draining. A native variety called American Persimmon grows well here, as does the popular Asian Persimmon!

What is the Easiest Fruit to Grow in Pennsylvania? 

While all the fruit trees listed above are well and good, we simply can’t forget about blueberries! Blueberries are one of the easiest and most popular fruits to grow in Pennsylvania. As long as you amend their soil to boost the acidity and place them in a sunny spot, they’ll thrive and produce abundant yields in just a few years’ time. Raspberries and blackberries are also just as abundant, easy to grow, and also make for great additions to your yard!  

At Primex Garden Center, we have no shortage of great fruit trees to choose from. To pick the best fruit trees for your backyard, visit our garden center in Glenside, PA, today!