Buzz
When envisioning farming or gardening for food, expansive outdoor spaces often come to mind. After all, squeezing fresh oranges or lemons in the morning typically demands ample outdoor room for these trees.
However, this isn’t always necessary. Alongside the houseplants you recognize (and even unique ones like wasabi), a diverse range of fruit trees thrive indoors. This allows you to merge the visual appeal of indoor greenery with the convenience of harvesting a wholesome, tasty snack from your living area.
If this idea excites you for your next indoor gardening endeavor, remember two crucial tips: First, prioritize “dwarf” varieties of your chosen fruit plants, as they occupy less space than their full-sized counterparts. Second, investing in a mature tree and relocating it indoors significantly enhances your chances of yielding fruit. While starting from seeds is an option, it generally takes more time and produces fewer results.
With that in mind, here are the top options for cultivating fruit trees indoors—though keep in mind that, like all plants, certain types may be harmful to pets. Ensure you consider this before starting your indoor garden.
Fig Tree
The Ficus carica “Petite Negra” fig tree begins fruiting early, often when under a foot tall. As a dwarf variety, it reaches a maximum height of 4-6 feet, depending on pot size, and yields rich purple, flavorful figs. This low-maintenance plant is pest-resistant and drought-tolerant, making it forgiving if you miss a few waterings. Another option is the “Brown Turkey” fig tree, though it may require frequent pruning to control its growth. Regular misting is recommended for both varieties, as figs prefer humid environments.
Citrus Trees (Lemons, Limes, Oranges)
Dwarf citrus trees, such as calamondin oranges (Citrofortunella mitis), Meyer lemons, and Key Limes, adapt well to indoor conditions. The main challenge lies in encouraging fruit production rather than growth. Calamondin oranges, while not very sweet, are versatile in recipes. Citrus trees thrive in humidity, so regular misting is essential unless you want to create a damp environment. They also require ample sunlight, so place them in spots with full-day exposure.
Apricots
Dwarf Moorpark apricots thrive indoors and are simple to cultivate. While you can grow them from pits, doing so delays fruiting by several years. A more efficient approach is purchasing a young tree and potting it. Regular pruning is essential to control their size, as they can grow up to six feet tall even when trimmed. Ensure they receive ample sunlight and keep the soil moist. A two-year-old tree typically starts bearing fruit within the first year.
Bananas
Selecting the right banana tree variety is crucial, as not all indoor-friendly types yield edible fruit. For a sweet treat, opt for the dwarf Cavendish variety, which is easy to grow and produces bananas within a year or two when started from seed. Mature plants skip the waiting period. These trees require abundant water—almost excessively—but allow the soil to dry between waterings to avoid over-saturation. As tropical plants, they benefit from misting and should be placed in sunny spots.
Mulberries
Dwarf Mulberry trees can be shaped into bush-like forms, making them ideal for indoor cultivation. Opt for dwarf types like the Everbearing Mulberry or Issai Mulberry, which stay compact. Both need frequent pruning—without it, the Everbearing variety can reach 15 feet. Ensure they receive plenty of sunlight and consistent watering initially. Once established, they tolerate occasional neglect in watering.
Coffee
Yes, coffee is a fruit—the beans we roast and grind for our daily brew come from the coffee cherry's stone. You can grow coffee indoors and even process your own beans, though it involves skinning, soaking, drying, roasting, and grinding. The Coffea arabica plant thrives indoors (avoid direct sunlight to prevent leaf burn) and produces fruit within a year, accompanied by fragrant white flowers.
Kumquat
Kumquats, a type of citrus, are simpler to grow than lemons or oranges, with several varieties suited for containers. For grocery-store-like fruits, choose the “Nagami” variant, yielding small, olive-sized kumquats. For larger fruits, opt for the “Meiwa” variety. Regardless of type, kumquat trees remain manageable in size, requiring ample sunlight and moderate watering.
Ground cherries
Also known as Cape Gooseberries, these fruits are unrelated to traditional cherries and are closer to peppers in relation. Their flavor is distinct and hard to describe—unusual but pleasant. Unlike many fruit plants, ground cherries grow well from seeds. Provide them with full sunlight and moderate watering, and they’ll develop into large-leafed plants yielding plenty of tasty fruit. Since they’re annuals, replanting is necessary each year for continued harvests.
Miracle berry
For an indoor fruit tree that doubles as a fun experiment, try growing Synsepalum dulcificum, or Miracle Berries. These berries have a unique effect: after eating them, any food consumed tastes sweet, regardless of its actual flavor. The effect lasts from minutes to hours, so timing is key to avoid ruining meals. Miracle Berries thrive indoors with indirect sunlight and frequent misting, as they prefer humid conditions. If the plant appears unhealthy, wrapping it in clear plastic can boost humidity levels.
Avocados
Avocado pits can sprout using the well-known “toothpick in a glass” method, but there’s a catch: plants grown from pits rarely produce fruit. While you’ll end up with a thriving plant, it’s unlikely to yield avocados in your lifetime. For better results, start with a young plant. The “Day” variety is the most suitable for pot cultivation and fruiting, so check your local nursery or garden store for this type. Although it may still take time to harvest avocados, it’s a far quicker process than waiting indefinitely for a pit-grown tree to fruit.
