Several healthy fruit trees not only give you delicious fruit, but also boost your landscape. Some fruit trees have exceptionally beautiful forms, blossoms, fruits, foliage and even intriguing bark. Though some fruit trees are pest and disease resistant and require little maintenance, others have to be sprayed to remain healthy and beautiful. When planting fruit trees, consider your climate, area, place and the specific requirements of the fruit tree variety.
Apple
Apple (Malus domestica) comprises hundreds of tree varieties. For centuries, artists have captured the beauty of the white or pink apple blossoms in their paintings. Most apple trees require another apple tree for pollination. Disease resistance varies, but many apple trees have to be sprayed with a fungicide to remain healthy. The Fuji apple tree (Malus domestica Fuji) is a newly developed apple variety, growing well in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 9. The Fuji tree contains white blossoms and produces an attractive yellow apple using a red-pink overlay.
Apricot
The apricot tree (Prunus armeniaca) blooms in early spring using white or pink blossoms before leaves appear. The tree grows well in USDA zones 5 through 9 and can achieve a height of 25 feet. The apricot tree contains reddish twigs and 3-inch smooth, heart-shaped leaves. Some varieties of apricot are self-fruitful and also do not have to be pollinated by another tree. See to the apricot tree using fungicide to prevent disease and dormant oil to control insect pests.
Citrus
The family of citrus trees includes lime, orange, lemon, grapefruit and tangerine trees. Although a lot of citrus trees are grown for their fruit, they also create attractive garden trees using their fragrant flowers and shiny leaves. Lemon (Citrus limon) and tangerine or mandarin (Citrus reticulata) trees thrive in USDA zones 8 through 11. Lemon trees arrive in dwarf trees and varieties which can reach 20 feet. The “Eureka” variety blooms and produces lemons all year long. The dwarf “Meyer” variety is hardy, grows well in pots, and produces a sweeter lemon compared to “Eureka.” Tangerine or mandarin tree varieties can reach 12 to 20 feet but are slow growing. Tangerine trees have very fragrant flowers and create an attractive tree in the landscape or in patio containers.
Loquat
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is the most frequently grown tree in the genus Eriobotrya. Loquat is a beautiful pyramidal tree, reaching a height of 20 to 30 feet. It has a tropical look with its large textured leaves. Loquat produces fragrant, small, white, flowers in panicles at the end of its divisions. Flowers are followed by clustered orange or yellow, red-tinged fruits. The tree is relatively pest- and also disease-free and wind-tolerant. Loquat adapts to a lot of soil types and thrives in USDA zones 8 through 10.
Persimmon
Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) trees are attractive trees for your home landscape. The trees have little cream-colored flowers in late spring, followed by orange or yellowish 3-inch fruits. The persimmon tree is deciduous and can achieve a height of 20 feet. Its large, oval, dark green leaves turn yellow and dark orange in autumn, putting on a stunning show. Many persimmon tree varieties are relatively pest and disease free and require little maintenance. Persimmon trees thrive in USDA zones 8 through 10.