12 Fast-Growing Fruit Trees for a Delicious Harvest in No Time

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Alexandra Jones is an avid urban grower and Master Gardener writing about houseplants, gardening, and sustainability from her home in Philadelphia. She has 10 years of gardening experience and five years of professional writing expertise.

Published on 05/08/26

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Cydonia oblonga is the main type of quince grown for its fruit. Credit: triffitt / Getty Images

Fruit trees can transform your backyard into a mini orchard, but many types won't be ready to harvest until a decade or more after planting.

Luckily, there are fast-growing fruit trees that you can harvest within a year or two of planting. Here are 12 fast-growing fruit trees to consider for your yard or garden.

Calamansi

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Credit: Nancybelle Gonzaga Villarroya / Getty Images

Also known as calamondin, these tiny, juicy citrus fruits have a tart, tangerine-like flavor. In subtropical climates, these self-fertile trees thrive outdoors, and healthy specimens will fruit year-round. Trees should fruit within one or two years of planting.

Mature size: 12-14 ft. tall, 8-10 ft. wide
Light requirements: Full to part sun
USDA hardiness zones: 8a-10b
When to harvest: Year-round
Notable varieties: Dwarf and semi-dwarf varieties are available

Dwarf Meyer Lemon

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Credit: Barbara Rich / Getty Images

Compact, self-fertile dwarf Meyer lemon trees are ideal for gardeners with smaller backyards. Plants grown from seed can take up to 4 years to bear fruit, but specimens propagated via grafting can fruit in as little as one year.

Mature size: 5–10 ft. tall, 4–8 ft. wide
Light requirements: Full to part sun
USDA hardiness zones: 8-11
When to harvest: When fruits are deep yellow, typically late winter or early spring
Notable varieties: Dwarf varieties are available

Loquat

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Credit: The Spruce / K. Dave

Juicy, sweet loquat fruits are native to China, but they're grown in subtropical and warm temperate climates around the world. Trees grown via cuttings can fruit in as little as one to two years after planting. Dwarf varieties that grow up to 5 feet tall are also available.

Mature size: 20-35 ft. tall, 12-50 ft wide
Light requirements: Full sun
USDA hardiness zone: 7-11
When to harvest: Spring
Notable varieties: 'Champagne', 'China White', 'Big Jim', 'Advance' (dwarf)

Black Cherry

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This stone fruit is native to much of the eastern United States, but it's less commonly seen in home gardens. Black cherry trees bear fruit within 5 years, and the fruit can be eaten raw or cooked into jams and jellies.

Mature size: 20-30 ft. tall, 15-25 ft. wide
Light requirements: Full sun to part shade
USDA hardiness zone: 3-10
When to harvest: Late summer
Notable varieties: Var. rufula, var. exima, var. virens

Apricot

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Credit: The Spruce / Randi Rhoades

Sweet, juicy, and versatile apricots can develop fruit between two and five years after planting. Note that these trees need a certain number of days below 45°F to fruit each year, so gardeners in warmer climates should seek out low-chill varieties like 'Katy'.

Mature size: 15-25 ft. tall, 20 ft. wide
Light requirements: Full sun
USDA hardiness zone: 4-9
When to harvest: Early to midsummer
Notable varieties: 'Royal Blenheim', 'Katy', 'Pixie-Cot' (dwarf)

Peach

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Credit: Barbara Rich / Getty Images

Peach trees grown from seed will take a minimum of four years to produce fruit, but trees propagated vegetatively can fruit much sooner, in as little as two years after they're planted.

Mature size: 4-25 ft. tall, 5-25 ft. wide
Light requirements: Full sun
USDA hardiness zone: 5-9
When to harvest: June-August
Notable varieties: 'Halehaven', 'Saturn', 'Bonanza' (dwarf)

Fig

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Figs are ideal for impatient gardeners because they can begin to develop fruit in as little as two or three years after planting. Dwarf varieties that grow between four and ten feet tall and can be planted in containers or small yards are also available.

Mature size: 10-30 ft. tall, 20 ft. wide
Light requirements: Full sun
USDA hardiness zone: 7-11
When to harvest: Late summer
Notable varieties: 'Brown Turkey', 'Celeste', 'Little Miss Figgy' (dwarf)

Pawpaw

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Credit: BasieB / Getty Images

This tropical-tasting native tree with sweet, custardy fruits has become popular with foragers and gardeners. You'll need two trees, a male and a female, since pawpaws are not self-fertile, but they can bear fruit in as little as four years.

Mature size: 15-25 ft. tall, 15 ft. wide
Light requirements: Full to part sun
USDA hardiness zone: 5-9
When to harvest: Summer, fall
Notable varieties: 'Allegheny', 'Mango', 'Sunflower'

Pear

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Credit: Vladimir Godnik / Getty Images

Pear trees can fruit in as little as three years after planting, but some varieties may take as long as ten years. Many types of pear trees are available, and different cultivars may be offered in dwarf or semi-dwarf sizes for smaller yards.

Mature size: 20 ft. tall and wide
Light requirements: Full sun
USDA hardiness zone: 4-8
When to harvest: Late summer, early fall
Notable varieties: 'Bartlett', 'Seckel', 'Comice'

Dwarf Apple

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When it comes to fast-growing apple trees, smaller is better; dwarf varieties can begin fruiting two to three years after planting, while standard types can take as long as eight years to fruit. Make sure you have space for two trees, as all apple trees need pollen from another specimen to bear fruit.

Mature size: 15-30 ft. tall and wide
Light requirements: Full sun
USDA hardiness zone: 3-8
When to harvest: August-October
Notable varieties: 'Stayman Winesap', 'Honeycrisp', 'Pink Lady'

Persimmon

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Grafted Asian persimmons (Diospyros kaki) take five to seven years after planting to bear fruit. Look for non-astringent types, which can be enjoyed while the fruit is still firm.

Mature size: 10-30 ft. tall
Light requirements: Full sun
USDA hardiness zone: 7-10
When to harvest: Late summer, fall
Notable varieties: 'Jiro', 'Fuyugaki', 'Ichi Ki Kei Jiro' (dwarf)

Quince

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Cydonia oblonga is the main type of quince grown for its fruit. Credit: triffitt / Getty Images

Quince can be hard to find in grocery stores or farmers' markets, and the raw fruit is firm and astringent in temperate climates. However, this fragrant pome fruit is delicious when cooked into preserves, desserts, and savory dishes. Expect trees to fruit five to six years after planting.

Mature size: 13-20 ft. tall and wide
Light requirements: Full sun
USDA hardiness zone: 5-9
When to harvest: Fall
Notable varieties: 'Jumbo', 'Smyrna', 'Rich's Dwarf'