Temperate Fruit Trees that Grow in Florida

Florida is a great place to grow citrus and tropical fruit, but many are unaware that deciduous fruiting trees and shrubs will also grow well in this hot, humid climate. The key to success is to plant the right temperate fruit varieties for Florida in the right places and to properly care for the plants.

Deciduous trees require a certain number of what are called ‚”chilling hours” in order to fruit successfully. This means that they need to be exposed to cold temperatures (about 42-45 degreesF) for a minimum length of time. Some popular fruit varieties, such as the ‚”Elberta” peach or the ‚”Delicious” apple require too many chilling hours to ever be successfully grown in Florida. The trick to growing these typical ‚”northern” fruits is to plant cultivars that need the lowest possible number of chilling hours while still protecting them from frost damage during the early spring.

Growing Apples in Florida

Of the many apple cultivars tested by the University of Florida, only three have been shown to do well in Florida and can be planted from Ocala northward. These cultivars are the “Anna”, “Dorsett Golden” and “TropicSweet” and have a chilling requirement of 250-300 hours. Apples cannot be grown in South Florida or South Central Florida.

The “Anna” apple is similar to the “Red Delicious.” The “Dorsett Golden” resembles a “Golden Delicious” apple. “TropicSweet” apples are sweeter and firmer than the Anna, and are a relatively new, patented cultivar from the University of Florida.

These apple cultivars are not self-pollinating; therefore more than one cultivar should be planted so they can pollinate each other. All three of these varieties will provide cross-pollination.

Growing Peaches in Florida

Certain peach and nectarine cultivars can be grown from the panhandle down to Immokalee (just south of Ft. Myers). They are of excellent quality and productive, but can be more high maintenance than tropicals, requiring pruning, thinning, as well as spraying for insects and diseases.

Peach varieties for central and south-central Florida (150-200 chilling hours) include the ‚”Flordaprince,” ‚”TropicBeauty,” ‚”UFSun,” ‚”Flordaglo” and ‚”UFBeauty.” The ‚”UFSun” requires the least amount of chilling hours (100). The ‚”UFGold” can be grown in central Florida, and the ‚”UFO” peach is suited for north-central Florida (250 chilling hours).

Growing Nectarines and Plums in Florida

Nectarines need quite a few more chilling hours than some of the peach varieties. ‚”Sunmist” nectarines need 275 chilling hours and can grow in north-central Florida. Also good for north-central Florida, the ‚”Sunraycer” and ‚”Sunbest” varieties both require 250 chilling hours. These nectarines will ripen in April/May.

Plums will grow in central and north-central Florida. ‚”GulfBeauty,” ‚”GulfRuby,” and ‚”GulfBlaze” are the recommended varieties.

Growing Blueberries in Florida

Blueberries will grow quite well in Central and North Florida if the correct varieties are chosen. Rabbiteye varieties tend to grow best from Ocala north into Georgia. For Gainesville south to about Sebring, southern highbush varieties fare better.

Recommended rabbiteye varieties are the ‚”Climax,” ‚”Beckyblue,” and ‚”Austin” for early fruiting and ‚”Brightwell,” ‚”Powderblue,” and ‚”Tifblue” for mid-season fruiting. Southern highbush varieties that grow well in Northern Florida include ‚”Sharpblue,” ‚”Jewel,” ‚”Star,” ‚”Emerald,” and ‚”Windsor.” Central Florida southern highbush varieties include ‚”Sharpblue,” ‚”Gulfcoast,” ‚”Jewel,” ‚”Emerald,” ‚”Sebring,” and ‚”Windsor.”

Other Deciduous Fruits that Grow in Florida

Blackberries can be grown with some difficulty in north Florida. Figs are an attractive tree that will produce in most of Florida, but care should be taken to protect them from freeze injury. Good fig varieties for Florida include ‚”Celest,” ‚”Brown Turkey,” and ‚”Green Ischia.”

Astringent Persimmon can also be grown in Florida. Recommended varieties are ‚”Fuyu,” ‚”Izu,” and ‚”Tanenashi.” Persimmon trees are also susceptible to freeze injury.

Strawberries can also be grown very successfully in Florida, as can a variety of citrus and tropical fruit trees, including mango, guava, banana and sugar apple.

For best results, visit the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Services (IFAS) for specific planting and care recommendations for the type of fruit tree or bush that will be planted. Ensuring proper soil, sun and fertilization conditions will give the plant the best chance of producing an abundant supply of large, tasty fruit year after year.