Best Fruit Trees for Houston & Sugar Land: 2026 Enchanted Gardens Guide
Posted by Todd Farber | Garden Guy Inc. | Serving Sugar Land, Missouri City & Fort Bend County Since 1991
Shopping for fruit trees in Houston this spring? Enchanted Gardens just released their 2026 fruit and nut tree inventory, and I've gone through it to highlight what actually produces here in Zone 9b.
After 30+ years helping homeowners across Sugar Land, Missouri City, and Fort Bend County, I can tell you the biggest mistake people make is buying fruit trees that look beautiful at the nursery but never produce in our climate. This guide will save you that frustration.
Why Most Fruit Trees Fail in Houston
Houston sits in USDA Zone 9b, which means we get mild winters with only 300-400 chill hours (hours below 45°F). Most fruit trees sold nationally need 600-1000 chill hours to set fruit.
Translation: That pretty peach tree from Michigan will sit in your Sugar Land yard for three years without producing a single peach.
The solution? Choose low-chill varieties bred specifically for Gulf Coast climates like ours.
Best Low-Chill Apple Trees for Houston
Recommended varieties: Anna, Dorsett Golden, Ein Shemer, Pink Lady, Fuji
These apple varieties need less than 400 chill hours, making them perfect for Houston, Sugar Land, and surrounding areas. Anna apples are especially reliable—I've seen them produce heavy crops even after our warmest winters.
Where to find them: Enchanted Gardens in Richmond typically stocks Anna and Dorsett Golden. Call ahead to confirm 2026 availability.
Asian Pears: The Most Reliable Fruit Tree for Southeast Texas
Recommended varieties: Shinseiki, Hosui, 20th Century, Southern Bartlett, Monterrey
If I had to recommend one fruit tree for Houston homeowners, it would be an Asian pear. They're heat tolerant, disease resistant, and produce consistently in Zone 9a without babying.
Shinseiki is my top pick for beginners—it's forgiving, productive, and the crisp, sweet pears are ready to eat right off the tree in late summer.
I planted a Shinseiki for a client in Telfair back in 2018, and she's gotten 40-60 pounds of pears every year since, even through our drought summers.
Low-Chill Peach Trees That Produce in Houston
Recommended varieties: May Pride, Mid Pride, June Pride, Eva's Pride, Tropic Snow, August Pride
Notice all those "Pride" names? These peaches were specifically bred by Texas A&M and University of Florida for warm-winter climates. They need 150-300 chill hours instead of 600+.
Pro tip: Plant at least two varieties for better pollination and extended harvest. Mid Pride and June Pride together will give you peaches from May through July.
Fig Trees: The Easiest Fruit Tree for Houston Yards
Recommended varieties: Celeste, LSU Purple, LSU Gold, Brown Turkey, Texas Everbearing
Figs are nearly foolproof in Houston. They handle our heat, tolerate our clay soil once established, and produce two crops per year—one in June and another in August through September.
Celeste (the "Sugar Fig") is my go-to recommendation. It's cold hardy to Zone 7, so even our rare hard freezes won't kill it, and the small, intensely sweet figs are incredible fresh or preserved.
I've seen 15-year-old Celeste figs in Sugar Land producing 100+ pounds of fruit per year with almost no maintenance beyond annual pruning.
Pecan Trees for Larger Houston Properties
Recommended varieties: Desirable, Choctaw, Pawnee
If you have a half-acre or more, pecans are a Texas tradition worth continuing. These three varieties are proven producers in Southeast Texas, with Pawnee being the earliest to produce (often bearing in 4-5 years instead of 7-10).
Reality check: Mature pecan trees reach 60-70 feet tall and wide. They drop leaves, twigs, husks, and pecans. Don't plant them over driveways, patios, or pools. Give them space in your back corner and they'll feed your family for generations.
Jujube Trees: Houston's Best-Kept Secret
Recommended varieties: Li, Sugar Cane, GA-866, Honey Jar
Jujubes (Chinese dates) are the most underrated fruit tree in Texas. They laugh at 100-degree heat, tolerate drought once established, require almost no pest management, and produce sweet, date-like fruits that taste like a cross between an apple and a date.
Li variety is the most common and productive. The tree stays manageable at 15-20 feet, and you can eat the fruits fresh when they're apple-crisp or let them dry on the tree for a chewy, date-like texture.
I planted a Li jujube for a client in Sienna five years ago, and she reports it's the only fruit tree her grandkids ask about by name.
Where to Buy Fruit Trees in the Houston Area
Enchanted Gardens (Richmond, TX) carries many of these low-chill varieties and their 2026 inventory focuses on Gulf Coast-appropriate selections. Their staff can also special order specific varieties.
Other reputable Houston-area nurseries:
Joshua's Native Plants (multiple locations including Katy)
Buchanan's Native Plants (multiple Houston locations—great for figs and jujubes)
Maas Nursery (Seabrook—excellent fruit tree selection)
Online options: If local nurseries don't stock what you need, Stark Bro's ships quality bare-root trees to Texas and clearly label chill hour requirements.
The #1 Mistake Houston Homeowners Make with Fruit Trees
Every spring, I get calls from frustrated homeowners: "Todd, my peach tree hasn't produced anything in three years. What am I doing wrong?"
Nine times out of ten, the problem isn't care—it's variety selection.
They bought a high-chill variety bred for Michigan or Pennsylvania. It looks healthy. It leafs out every spring. But it never produces fruit because Houston doesn't get cold enough, long enough.
The fix is simple: Choose low-chill varieties from the start, and you'll be harvesting fruit within 2-3 years instead of waiting forever for something that will never happen.
Quick Reference: Best Fruit Trees for Houston by Sun Exposure
Full sun (6+ hours) - Best production:
All apple, peach, and Asian pear varieties
Pecans
Jujubes
Part sun (4-6 hours) - Will still produce:
Figs (especially Celeste and Brown Turkey)
Asian pears (reduced production but still worthwhile)
Container-friendly for patios:
Figs (any variety)
Jujubes (Li, Honey Jar)
Asian pears (grafted on dwarf rootstock)
Need Help Choosing the Right Fruit Tree for Your Yard?
I'm happy to give you personalized recommendations based on your specific property. Just visit askgardenguy.com and tell me:
Your location (Sugar Land, Missouri City, Conroe, etc.)
In-ground or container planting
Full sun or part sun exposure
How much space you're working with
I'll point you toward varieties that will actually produce in your yard, not just look pretty for three years.
— Todd Farber
Texas A&M Trained Horticulturist | 30+ Years Serving Fort Bend County
Got a lawn or garden question? Visit askgardenguy.com and I'll give you expert Houston-specific advice.
About Todd Farber & Garden Guy
I'm a Texas A&M-trained horticulturist who's been working in Fort Bend County yards since 1991. Over three decades, I've planted hundreds of fruit trees across Sugar Land, Missouri City, Sienna, Telfair, and surrounding neighborhoods—and I've learned exactly what thrives here and what fails.
I saw the 2021 Texas freeze devastate landscapes across our area, and I've helped homeowners recover and replant smarter. I've worked through Houston's brutal droughts, watched what survives our clay soil, and figured out which varieties actually produce fruit instead of just looking pretty.
Garden Guy Inc. offers free expert advice for homeowners across Fort Bend County. Ask me your toughest lawn and garden questions at askgardenguy.com, and in exchange for a quick Google or Nextdoor review, I'll give you answers based on 30+ years of real-world experience in our exact climate. We also send out a weekly newsletter. Sign up here: https://bit.ly/321gardentips
— Todd Farber
Texas A&M Trained Horticulturist | Serving Fort Bend County Since 1991
