21 Unique Fruits to Grow in Your Garden

One fun aspect of gardening is that you can try to grow anything you want, including fruits and veggies you wouldn't normally see at the grocery store! That being said, our climate and weather have a huge effect on ease of success so below I've compiled a list of unique fruiting plants (in no particular order) that can be grown in our area outdoors, no greenhouse or extra special care required!

1.      Kumquat Tree- An evergreen in the citrus family this tree fruit is ready to harvest in winter! Often called the 'Sour Patch Kids' of Nature - sour juicy flesh with a subtle sweet edible rind. Pop them right off the tree and eat whole! Our family has a tree and we can't get enough! This plant also holds significance in Chinese New Years Celebrations, the gold fruits are a symbol of a bright prosperous new year! These trees are naturally small, not usually growing more than 8 ft tall making them perfect for small yards or pruning to keep small for growing in pots.

2.      Muscadine Grape Vines- I just recently learned about these and have been looking to buy a plant for my garden! This lesser known grape is a north American native, tough-skinned grape in green, red and purple varieties. They grow very similar to regular grapes on a climbing vine. Said to have a more complex taste with a tart, sometimes bitter skin and sweet insides.

3.      Olive Trees - Not the most unique in this list! You may know a friend or neighbor who has an olive tree, more likely an ornamental non-fruiting variety. Their petite sage-green leaves add a Mediterranean feel to the garden! You can brine your own homegrown olives at home in the fridge or buy a small home olive press to experiment with!

4.      Pluerry Tree - A plu-erry is a cross between a plum and a cherry and they are so delightful, juicy and sweet! Young trees are often sold bareroot in January and there are a handful of popular varieties ranging in colors/flavors! Not commonly seen in grocery stores!

5.      Kiwi Tree- YES you can grow Kiwi in Zone 9! Fall harvest in Oct-Nov. Keep in mind you need a male and female tree to produce fruit! Red, green and golden varieties.

6.      Persimmon Tree - A personal favorite! I have my own Fuyu persimmon in my yard. Another fall harvest fruit. There are 2 general types of persimmon, the squat square pumpkin-looking kind best for fresh eating (like 'Fuyu') and the rounder sort like the image on the right, which are more often used for drying/baking (like 'Hachiya'). A fresh ripe Fuyu persimmon is crisp with a sweet melon-like flavor.

7.      Fig Tree - Another personal favorite! As kids we foraged the wild fig trees along the creek. Lots of amazing varieties, even some naturally 'dwarf' trees like pink 'Celeste' Fig which can be grown in container. Large leaves bring a tropical feel to the garden. Harvest in summer, and sometimes additional fall harvest. This soft squishy fruit is edible with the skin and all, the center is a jam-like texture. Eat fresh or use in baking, jam-making and more.

8.      Elderberry - Well known for its medicinal value! Deep rich little berries are full of antioxidants. Not for fresh eating but very versatile in teas, tinctures, syrups and other similar applications. Harvest off bush in late summer to early fall. A north American native.

9.      Mulberry Tree - On my bucket list! Another north American native plant. Said to taste like a tart blackberry with notes of pomegranate. Harvest in summer. Leaves can be used for tea! Some varieties can be found in 'dwarf' growth habits great for small yards or growing in a pot.

10. 3-in-1 or 4-in-1 Fruit Trees - This is a fun one! Hit your local garden center in January for bareroot selection on multi graft fruit trees. These fun funky trees have multiple varieties on one tree! Fruit 'Salad' type 3n1 or 4n1 trees will have mixed fruit types but you can also find options like a 4n1 Cherry which will have 4 different types of Cherry on one tree, same for Apple, pear and several other common summer fruiters! My parents garden is home to a 4n1 Pluot and a 4n1 Cherry, both providing a delightful spread of taste options! Trees like these will often perform best with a second tree to provide cross pollination.

11. Buddhas Hand Citron Tree - This unique citrus looks pretty strange! Contains little to no juice or true flesh, this 'hand' is all pith, the the soft white inner part of the peel runs all the way through. Used for its zest and for garnishes/infusions. Citrusy/lemon aroma. Harvest in winter.

12. Blood Orange Tree - So fun! these rich red 'bloody' oranges are harvested in winter just like other oranges. Great for juicing and fresh eating. When I was little a grand Blood-orange tree was the centerpiece to my grandma's little city-backyard garden. Most common variety you'll see around here is called "Moro-Blood". Very productive.

13. Calamondin/Calamansi Tree - The little Lime of the Philippines! These look like tiny oranges but are extra tart, similar to Kumquats. Less appetizing for fresh eating but just as useful for drink making. My parents garden includes one sturdy little tree, its small rounded leaves add to its pretty evergreen look. Naturally small tree, good for small yards or can be grown in large pot. Harvest in Winter.

14. Pink Variegated Eureka Lemon - A real oddball! This lemon tree features cream/green variegated leaves, green striped fruits and pale pink flesh! Juice is clear or slightly pink. Less acidic than typical lemons but can be used for the same applications like Lemonade! Tree is beautiful, even without fruits! harvest in winter.

15. Finger/Caviar Lime Tree - This petite tree looks very different from your typical citrus! Tiny round leaves and lots of thorns, keep away from children and pets! Fruits are 1-2 inch long. Slice and squeeze out the lime flavor beads! Very unique, fun for drinks/appetizer displays. Several varieties ranging in color. Small tree, good for pots. Harvest in winter.

16. Kieffer/Makrut lime - Another star of my parents garden! (you see why I'm like this?! haha) A favorite in Thai cuisine where uses include the leaves, zest, pitch and juice to flavor broths or curry dishes. The beautiful leaves are double-lobe, looking like an hourglass, very pithy, little to no juice usually. Harvest fruits in winter, harvest leaves year round. My mother dries the leaves for tea and our family has noticed its usefulness for itchy throats/coughing. Use older dark green leaves for tea as they dry better than the young bright leaves.

17. Cara Cara Orange Tree - The Cara Cara features a colorful flesh, this one being a deeper orange/pink tone. Another great one for fresh eating and juicing. Harvest in winter. Orange lovers or market growers may like to plant one regular orange, one blood orange and one cara cara for the trifecta collection! Hard to find in grocery stores!

18. 'Pink Lemonade' Blueberry - Blueberry are one of the first summer fruits harvested, usually in April/May in our area. This fun variety has a more summer-stonefruit flavor than the typical blueberry, reminding me of apricots or peaches. Blueberry plants require more acidic soil and don't like high nitrogen, which can 'burn' the plant. Check out my blog post here on growing blueberry! Blueberry are native to north America!

19. 'Fall Gold' Raspberry - Yellow raspberry are said to taste less tart with a sweet apricot-like flavor. Such a beauty! Harvest in summer when they reach full color and are easy to pluck form the vine.

20. Prickly Pear Cactus - Cactus pads, the round green sections have plenty of application in Mexican dishes, called 'Nopales' in Spanish, but they also produce a prickly pear-shaped fruit in the summertime! Different varieties will produce different colors but the most common is the deep pink/fuchsia color. Carefully remove the thorns and outer skin to eat fresh or use in drinks or jam-making. Refreshing juicy tropical flavor similar to kiwi/watermelon. lots of seeds in the center which can be unappetizing, although edible. Super easy to propagate new plants from cutting, just a huge succulent, will spread in our climate! Another feature of my parents garden! Thorns - keep children and pets away. North American native.

21. Loquat Tree - Ugh! I haven't had a loquat in years! But our childhood home had a huge Loquat tree in the backyard. The fruits are small and soft with a soft peel and large easily removed brown seed in the center. Very topical looking tree. Fruits taste sweet and tropical, sometimes a bit tart when picked early, flavor is similar to peach/apricot/mango. Harvest in summer.

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I highly recommend visiting local nurseries to source plants like these but there are also lots of great online sources for hard to find varieties! Check out sites like Logee's!

Are you growing any of these fun fruiting plants in your garden?! Are you growing one I didn't mention?! Let me know below!