Fruit Trees for Sun

If you're interested in growing your own tree-ripened fruit and you have a sunny spot in your garden, then the kinds of fruit trees you can grow are nearly endless. The best choices depend a bit on the climate where you live because most types need a certain period of time with temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit -- called chill hours. Beyond that requirement, the sky's the limit.

Both apple (Malus domestica) and pear (Pyrus spp.) trees thrive in sunshine and do well in a home setting.

Apple trees need full-sun exposure to flower well and produce a large crop of fruit. They also do best in well-drained soil and are usually grafted onto roots -- called rootstocks -- that determine each tree's size. Apple trees are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8, depending on their variety. For example, the cultivar 'Candy Crisp' is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 7 and has golden-colored fruit in October while 'Pink Lady' is hardy in USDA zones 5 through 8 and has pink-to-red fruit in late October.

Pears also do best in full sun, and they prefer sandy or loamy soil. The trees are hardy in USDA zones 3 through 10, depending on the variety, and can be one of two types: the European pear (Pyrus communis) or the less common Asian pear (Pyrus pyrfolia). European pear fruit has the typical "pear shape." Asian pear fruit is round and has sweet but crunchy flesh. The cultivar 'Bartlett' (Pyrus communis 'Bartlett') is a European pear hardy in USDA zones 5 through 8, and 'Hosui' (Pyrus pyrfolia 'Hosui') is an Asian pear hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9.

Some European-type pear trees may be invasive in certain parts of the United States. So don't plant those trees near a native woodland or other natural area.

Certain trees with fruit that has large, hard seeds are commonly called stone fruits, and they also thrive in a sunny spot, where they produce heavy crops. They include many varieties that have slightly different growing requirements and fruit characteristics.

Both peaches (Prunus persica) and nectarines (Prunus persica var. nectarina) grow and fruit best in a spot that gets full sun. Peaches produce fuzzy-skinned fruit, and nectarines have smooth-skinned fruit. Peach tree varieties include the cultivar 'Reliance,' which has pink blossoms in spring and fruit in mid- to late summer. The nectarine variety 'Mericrest' has freestone, yellow-fleshed fruit that ripens in summer. Both of those varieties are hardy in USDA zones 5 through 8.

Cherry trees (Prunus spp.) are spring-bloomers that also grow best in full sun. They come in two basic types: sweet cherry (Prunus avium), which has sweet fruit, and sour cherry (Prunus cerasus), which has fruit that has a sour flavor. Cherry trees include the sweet-fruited cultivar 'Blackgold' (Prunus avium 'Blackgold'), which is hardy in USDA zones 5 through 7, and the cultivar 'Montmorency' (Prunus cerasus 'Montmorency'), which has sour fruit used to make pies and is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 7.

Apricot trees (Prunus armeniaca) also bloom in spring, with white or pink flowers depending on the variety. They thrive in sunshine and come in cultivars that include 'Wilson Delicious,' an extra-productive tree hardy in USDA zones 5 through 8, and 'Goldcot,' which, especially resistant to cold, is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8.

If you live in an area with mild winters, think about growing a few citrus trees (Citrus spp.), which also thrive in full sun. Choose full-size varieties for a large, open spot, or plant a dwarf tree in a large container for a sunny patio. Citrus trees usually are hardy in USDA zones 8 through 10, though hardiness differs by type and variety. Citrus trees include sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) and grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi). One sweet orange cultivar is 'Valencia,' which has sweet, seedless fruit and is hardy in USDA zones 9 through 10. The grapefruit cultivar 'Ruby Red' can be grown in a container if the tree is pruned regularly; 'Ruby Red' is hardy in USDA zones 8 through 11.