Grow Your Own Fruit Trees in Houston

Growing fruit trees in the Houston area is very doable when you choose the right varieties. The key is understanding chill hours and selecting trees that match our climate.

What are chill hours? Chill hours are the number of hours per year that temperatures stay between 32°F and 45°F. Fruit trees need a certain number of these cold hours during winter to break dormancy and produce fruit in the spring. A tree that requires more chill hours than your area provides will either fail to bloom, produce poorly, or not fruit at all.

How many chill hours does Houston get? The Houston area averages approximately 400-600 chill hours per year, with Willis and Montgomery County typically landing in the 500-600 range. However this varies significantly year to year — choosing trees rated for 400 hours or less gives you a reliable buffer.

Our selection includes figs, low-chill peaches and plums rated at 400 hours or less, and pears like Kieffer and Orient that handle our heat and humidity better than most.

Houston fruit tree tip: Figs are almost foolproof in our area. If you've never grown fruit before, start with a fig — you'll be hooked.