7 Best Fruit Trees to Grow in Ohio (With Pictures)

If you want to improve your landscape, adding a fruit tree is a great choice. It can provide you with a tasty treat and shade, and it can also make the area more comfortable for you and your pets. However, choosing the right tree is not always easy, especially if you have little experience gardening and live in an area like Ohio, where temperatures can vary dramatically from one part of the year to the next. If you live in this state and are wondering which fruit trees grow best, keep reading as we look at several varieties that grow well without much effort.

The 7 Best Fruit Trees to Grow in Ohio

1. Apple Tree

Apple trees are popular fruit trees to grow because they produce a huge harvest, and you will have plenty of fruit for cider, pies, snacks, and drinks. You’ll even have some left to sell for profit. Planting multiple trees will help them cross-pollinate so that you can get more apples.

The trees are easy to grow and require little maintenance. They’re cold hardy, and they can grow when snow is on the ground. The only downside is that the apples can attract insects, especially after falling from the tree, so you’ll spend a lot of time each year picking up apples off the ground.

2. Pear Tree

Pear trees are cold-hardy fruit trees that thrive in the cool temperatures of Ohio. They also do well in drought conditions and high temperatures, so they are great for new gardeners.

These trees grow well in pots, so you can grow them for as long as you want before planting them in your yard. The only thing that this tree doesn’t enjoy is too much water, so it may not be a great choice if your ground gets overly soggy in early spring.

3. Plum Tree

The plum tree is a great fruit tree that can easily grow in Ohio. You can eat the plums fresh or use them to create prunes. The trees handle high temperatures well, and the fruit is resistant to insects and disease, so you usually get a large crop. Another advantage of planting a plum tree is its size; it rarely gets taller than 10 feet.

4. Peach Tree

Peach trees grow incredibly well in Ohio, especially in hardiness zone 6. They enjoy high temperatures, and you will get your biggest harvests during the hottest years. They’re suitable for vertical gardening because they can grow up to 15 feet tall and only 2–3 feet wide. They’re also fast-growing trees that produce fruit only 1 year or 2 after planting.

5. Cherry Tree

Cherry trees are perfect for Ohio since they enjoy the hot and cold weather. They produce a large harvest and help cross-pollinate other plants so that you will get larger harvests from those plants, too. The only downside of cherry trees is that you must fight with the birds that enjoy the fruit.

6. Apricot Tree

Apricots are tasty treats, and the trees are easy to grow in Ohio. They are well-suited to extreme temperature changes and can even deal with droughts. They are perfect for small yards, and the only downside is that the fruit can attract insects.

7. Mulberry Tree

Mulberry trees produce fruits that resemble blackberries, and the trees grow well in Ohio. Though they’re not as popular as other fruit trees, many enjoy them for their bountiful shade and tasty fruits. The trees don’t require any fertilizer and can grow 50 feet tall.

Ohio Hardiness Zones

Almost all of Ohio sits in hardiness zone 5, with an average low temperature of -10 to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. However, a few of the southernmost areas are in hardiness zone 6, with an average low temperature of 0 to -10 degrees Fahrenheit. The best way to grow any plant, from a vegetable to a tree, is to choose one that grows well in your hardiness zone. Check your location on an online agricultural map to find out what your zone is.

Conclusion

Quite a few fruit trees will grow well in Ohio, and most of them don’t require much maintenance. The best choices are apple, cherry, and mulberry trees, but apricot and pear trees are also good options, especially if you like the fruits and want them fast. When choosing a fruit tree or any plant to grow in Ohio, read the package carefully or check with an expert to ensure it grows well in hardiness zones 5 and 6 for the best chance of success.

See Also:

• 6 Easiest Plants To Grow In Houston (With Pictures)
• 69 Types of Trees in Ohio (With Pictures)

Featured Image Credit: Konevi, Pixabay