In small gardens or backyards, these compact trees deliver a large bounty.
Dana Gallagher
Standard-sizedfruit treesgrow 20 feet tall or higher and easily overwhelm small backyards and gardens.
Thankfully, there are dwarf fruit trees that produce armloads of mouth-watering fruit yet stay under 10 feet tall.
Credit:Dana Gallagher
Some dwarf fruit trees evengrow in large containers.
Use this guide to find the best small trees for your backyard.
A key requirement for fruit trees, no matter their size, is non-negotiable:full sun.
Credit: John Granen
Apple Trees
Applesare one of the easiest fruits to grow.
Depending on the variety you choose to grow, apples areready for harvestingbetween July and November.
Of the many dwarf apple tree varieties, popular ones are Cameron Select, Stayman Winesap, and Blondee.
Credit:Ray Kachatorian
For the trees to produce fruit, you need at least two trees of different varieties to ensure cross-pollination.
Some pear tree varieties withstand frigid winter temperatures, while others thrive in warm climates.
Of the manypear varieties, Conference pear trees are well known for their prolific fruit production.
Credit:Bob Stefko
Dwarf Bartlett and Dwarf Anjou pears are also popular among home growers.
In June or July, the cherry blossoms will mature into delicious, ripe cherries ready for picking.
Dwarf cherry varieties for small gardens include Romeo (sweet cherries) and North Star (sour cherries).
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Citrus Trees
Santiago Urquijo / Getty Images
Dwarf citrus trees work well in small backyards.
Some varieties are even small enough to be kept in pots.
The trees thrive in climates with mild winters and long, dry summers.
Credit:John Bessler
Many olive trees are small enough to be kept in containers andoverwintered indoorsin cooler climates.
The popular cultivar Arbequina is a self-pollinator, but having other olive cultivars nearby helps with pollination.
Some fig trees are hardier than others, with Chicago hardy fig being a popular choice for northern gardens.
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Small varieties can also be overwintered indoors in pots.
Celeste is one high-yielding,fruiting fig treethat grows between 7 and 10 feet tall.
Little Ruby and Little Miss Figgy are popular dwarf varieties.
Credit:Dean Schoeppner
These vigorous growers produce clusters of 6- to 10-inch-long bananas on 8- to 10-foot plants.
Bananas are pollinated by fruit bats and ripen between late spring and early summer.
In cooler regions, it is possible to grow thebanana plant indoors, though it won’t produce fruit.
Credit:Buff Strickland
Even smaller dwarf plum specimens can fruit quite prolifically.
Peach trees are usually self-pollinating, however, other peach varieties nearby improve pollination.
To keep the trees productive,peach trees should be pruned annually.
