As with all trees, the size of the area you have available will determine the best fruit trees to grow indoors. Beyond the type of tree, you will also need to bear in mind that any indoor fruit tree will require a bit more maintenance than it’s outdoor counterpart.
What to Consider When Selecting the Best Fruit Trees to Grow Indoors
One of the biggest issues with indoor fruit trees is the lack of insects to pollinate the flowers, another major concern is that the fruit tree will outgrow its space.
Despite the disadvantages, there are also some advantages to growing a fruit tree indoors such as not worrying about winter frosts or storms killing your tree! Thankfully there are many varieties of fruit trees that have been bred specifically to overcome the difficulties of indoor growing.
1) Meyer Lemon Tree
Fruit:
Now before you say “Lemon’s are too bitter of a fruit!”, let me tell you that the Meyer Lemon is different from the small, super acidic and tart lemons you give to infants to watch their face scrunch up. These lemons are actually a direct cross between normal lemons and sweet oranges. The combination give a unique and delicious flavor.
Ease of Growing:
Growing the Meyer Lemon tree indoors is simple. The trees have incredible heat and cold tolerances, which mean that anywhere in the county should have no issues growing fully indoors or as a indoor/outdoor fruit tree. They are also self-fertile so that you only need a single tree to produce fruit.
Size:
A mature Meyer tree maxes out it’s height at about 8ft so you will have no concerns about it taking over your living room making this one of the best fruit trees to grow indoors.
2) Cold Hardy Avocado Tree
Fruit:
Avocados are delicious.
I could just stop there, but I would be remiss to not point out that fresh, homegrown avocados are 10x more delicious than anything you will find in a store. Commercial growers do not pick their varieties for taste, but rather size and shelf stability.
Ease of Growing:
The cold-hardy variety of Avocado Trees are very easy to grow and are self-fertile so you do not need multiple avocado trees to pollinate each other. Since they are able to tolerate down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, they also make a great indoor/outdoor plant in areas prone to sudden cold snaps.
Size:
If kept in a container and well-pruned the cold hardy avocado will top out at about 7-8 feet; however, if you plant it outdoors they can easily reach 15-20 feet!
3) Dwarf Cavendish Banana Tree
Fruit:
The Cavendish is the most recognized of the banana variety, they are similar to the ones grown by major brands such as Chiquita. The fruit of the Dwarf Cavendish is ripens to a bright yellow and are super healthy and even more tasty.
Ease of Growing:
Banana plants are technically not trees, but due to their size and appearance they are typically mistaken and called trees. All banana plants grow very quickly and the Dwarf Cavendish is no exception, you can typically expect fruit in 1-2 years depending upon the size of the tree when you plant it.
Cavendish Dwarfs are self-fertile and do well in full sun and drink quite a bit of water, so if you do not have lots of sunlight available indoor this may not be the best choice.
Size:
This dwarf banana tree normally will only reach a height of 8-10 feet, however the leaves are easily bent to accommodate lower ceilings.
4) Arbequina Olive Tree
Fruit:
Prized for not only their taste, but the high concentration of super healthy and antioxidant loaded oils. These Spanish trees are heavy producers and single, mature trees have been known to provide harvests up to 20lbs!
Ease of Growing:
One of the easiest to grow, arbequina olive trees are rarely bothered by pests and can be grown organically practically anywhere; only dropping their leave in extreme cold. They are self-fertile so you only need one.
As an indoor plant, they will grow year-round and not drop their leaves at all!
Size:
Olive trees live for a very long time and can get to a mature height of 20ft outdoors. They are suitable for indoor planting, however, pruning will be required to make sure it stays a reasonable size. If you are inexperienced with pruning olive trees, this may not be the best choice.
5) Clementine Tree
Fruit:
Easy to peel, ridiculously juicy and unbelievably sweet. That pretty much sums up what I love the most about clementines. If I were going to pick the best fruit tree to grow indoors based on taste alone, this tree would probably win.
Ease of Growing:
In addition to being a super fast grower it is self pollinating and pest/disease resistant, making the clementine a great choice for indoor growing.
Size:
The fact that you can keep a clementine tree in nearly any size and shape that you want with simple pruning and you can see why this is a favorite for indoor gardeners. The tree will top out at about 8 feet with occasional pruning.
6) Nagami Kumquat Tree
Fruit:
The kumquat is the only citrus that can be eaten skin an all. The Nagami kumquat has a unique flavor that makes for amazing jams, marmalade, dried fruits and preserves.
Ease of Growing:
The Nagami tree is self-fertile, drought tolerant and will grow in almost any soil and is very pest and disease resistant. These trees are tough to kill and tend to produce regardless of conditions. Perfect for indoor gardeners who often forget to water for extended periods of time. This alone makes it one of the best fruit trees for indoors.
Size:
With mild pruning the Nagami kumquat tree will reach a maximum height of about 8 ft.
7) LSU Purple Fig Tree
Fruit:
The LSU Purple Fig tree, as it’s name suggest, produces beautiful purple figs that are wildly-sweet. This variety was developed by the agricultural department as Louisiana State University and are, quite frankly, some of the tastiest fig’s you will ever eat.
Ease of Growing:
The trees are super fast growing, even indoors and can even produce fruit in the 2nd year. It produces figs three times a year: a light harvest in early spring, a main harvest in the summer and third harvest around November. Self fertile, easy to grow and require little maintenance.
Size:
The LSU Purple will typically top out around a height of 8-10 feet.
Conclusion of the Best Fruit Tree to Grow Indoors
There is probably no single best fruit tree to grow indoors since everyone’s indoor space and personal preferences are going to be different. New varieties are being created every day by the brilliant and diligent gardeners and agricultural programs all over the world. Even trees that haven’t been specially bred for the indoors can be successfully grown inside with enough work and perseverance.
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