Indoor fruit trees can add a pop of color to a space and provide fresh homegrown fruit. When choosing a fruit tree to grow indoors, look for dwarf varieties as they are created to stay small and compact. With so many options available to suit different preferences and growing environments, these trees make homegrown fruit accessible in your own living space.
15 Fruit Trees That Can Be Grown Indoors
1. Calamondin Orange Trees
Calamondin orange trees are popular indoor fruit trees since they are easy to grow. These trees produce oranges that are a cross of the kumquat and mandarin oranges, so they have a sweet and tangy taste.
They thrive when placed near a window with lots of sunlight and can grow to four to six feet. Additionally, calamondin orange trees will need to be pruned to be more compact and should be watered two times per month or whenever the soil is dry. The water should fully soak through the soil.
2. Apricot Trees
Apricot trees are good indoor tree options because, not only do they offer an appealing foliage and fragrance, but they also provide a delightful harvest after they flower in early spring. Popular indoor apricot tree varieties include the goldcot apricot tree and the dwarf moorpark apricot tree since they only reach about six feet in height.
These trees need regular attention and pruning regularly to keep them small and compact. Additionally, they need a lot of sunlight. So place it near a window, and an apricot tree can be a colorful addition to a space.
3. Banana Tree
Banana trees can become extremely tall if not pruned regularly, so a dwarf variety is best when growing these trees indoors. They can reach four feet and have fleshy upright stalks from which large and bright green leaves grow. Musa dwarf Cavendish banana trees and the dwar lady finger banana tree are popular to grow indoors since it’s relatively easy to care for.
Since banana trees are tropical plants, they need lots of humidity and should receive six to eight hours of sunlight each day. To mimic humidity, you can mist your banana tree often. Once the flowers bloom in the spring, tiny bananas will follow.
4. Fig Trees
Fig trees are best for people who don’t live in subtropical climates as they need warm temperatures to grow. Varieties best for growing indoors include the brown turkey fig since it’s a self-pollinating tree.
Since the tree needs a humid environment, make sure to mist it regularly and water it once a week. They also aren’t fans of the cold, so keep them away from draft doors and windows that tend to be cooler. Additionally, these trees need to receive six to eight hours of sunlight each day.
5. Goji Berry Trees
Goji berries are full of nutrients, and these trees are easy to grow indoors since they don’t need a lot of care. During the early summer, the tree produces small purple or white flowers and the fruit grows during the mid-summer. In season, they can produce several pounds of fruit.
They are drought-tolerant trees that need lots of sunlight. Place it near a south-facing window and make sure to use a well and fast-draining soil that dries out between waterings, giving the tree at least 1 inch of water per week.
6. Nectarine Trees
Nectarines can be used as a substitute for oranges, and with the right care, the trees can grow indoors. It’s best to set nectarine trees in a large pot with moist soil.
Avoid letting the soil dry out between watering. Additionally, nectarine trees need a lot of sunlight and pruning to remain compact.
7. Kaffir Lime Trees
Also known as Makrut limes, kaffir lime trees are easy to grow indoors since they don’t need a lot of care. The limes are great for adding a bit of bitterness when cooking, and the leaves can be used to different dishes as well.
Avoid overwatering kaffir lime trees and provide six to eight hours of sunlight each day. The soil should dry out between watering.
8. Olive Trees
Olive trees are a great option for an indoor fruit tree since they are not as needy as some of the others. A single tree can also produce around 20 lbs of olives. The best variety to grow indoors is the slow-growing arbequina since it’s suited for containers.
Indoor olive trees need to receive six to eight hours of full sunlight each day, and they prefer well-draining soil. Additionally, they should be watered when the top inch of soil dries out. To start growing olives, the trees need to have two months of cooler temperatures so they are set in a cooler area of the house during the fall or winter.
9. Dwarf Key Lime Tree
Dwarf key lime trees have glossy evergreen foliage and can be grown indoors. Key limes are small and have thin skin, and their trees produce fruit in 1 to 3 years and can grow to be up to 6 feet tall.
Make sure to use well-draining soil and allow it to dry out between watering. Avoid overwatering since it can lead to root rot.
Since the dwarf key lime tree isn’t self-pollinating, the tree needs to be places outside during the summer. Dwarf key lime trees also need lots of sunlight.
10. Kumquat Trees
Kumquat trees are good indoor trees for the home because they’re compact and grow a small citrus fruit that is sweet and tart. These trees need to be watered often and lots of sunlight, ideally six to eight hours of sunlight per day. They are also susceptible to root rot diseases, so choose a well-draining soil and avoid excess moisture.
11. Ground Cherries Trees
Ground cherry trees look similar to small shrubs, and they bloom yellow flowers in the summer before growing fruit. Also known as cape gooseberries, ground cherry trees are easy to grow. The most common variety is Aunt Molly’s.
These plants need well-draining soil and to receive at least six hours of full, direct sunlight. The soil should feel fairly moist and receive at least an inch of water per week.
12. Meyer Lemon Trees
Meyer lemon trees are one of the most commonly chosen indoor fruit trees because of they offer a compact size, fragrant blooms, and a flavorful fruit with a balance of sweetness and tartness. They can grow to be eight feet tall, so prune to keep them on the smaller side.
These trees are self-pollinating and they’ll begin to grow after two to three years. To thrive, this indoor fruit tree needs to receive six hours of sunlight each day and a well-draining, slightly acidic, loam-based soil that doesn’t dry out.
13. Peach Trees
Peach trees are a popular indoor fruit tree since they offer visual appeal and a fruit that is liked by many. These trees needs to receive six hours of direct sunlight each day.
If they receive too much shade, it can make them susceptible to pest and disease problems. Keep the tree evenly moist, and make sure the soil has good drainage.
14. Passion Fruit Trees
Passion fruit trees add a tropical charm to indoor environments, with the most popular varieties to grow inside being the sweet granadilla and the giant granadilla. With at least six hours of sunlight every day and regularly watered so the soil doesn’t become damp, exotic flowers will bloom while the passion fruit takes its time to grow.
15. Dwarf Mulberry Tree
Another fruit tree to grow indoors is dwarf mulberry trees, which produce sweet berries and can thrive in containers. These trees can grow to be two to six feet high and don’t need to be watered often.
They need at least six hours of full sun every day, and since they’re susceptible to root rot if left in pooling water, avoid overwatering dwarf mulberry trees. Be sure to use a protective covering under the tree since the fruit can stain the floor or carpet.
