Shop Our Selection of Fast Growing Fruit Trees for Sale!

"To plant trees is to give body and life to one’s dreams of a better world."–Russell Page

Planting any tree is an act of faith in the future. But who wouldn’t like to see quicker results when planting fruit trees? 

Before we can pick a ‘fast-growing’ fruit tree, we need to decide what measure we are using to determine how quickly the tree grows or how many years until it produces fruit? 

How Many Years Until Fruit Production?

When selecting fruit trees, perhaps the most significant factor in the time to fruit production is whether the tree is a dwarf fruit tree, semi-dwarf fruit tree, or standard fruit tree. Since most fruit trees sold by growers are grafted trees, we won’t get into trees started from seed, which typically takes much longer to bear fruit.

Trees sold as dwarfs are grafted onto dwarf rootstock that will limit their size as a mature tree. This generally limits the lifespan of the tree as well and the amount of fruit they can produce. 

Dwarf fruit trees commonly bear fruit in 1-3 years after planting, and semi-dwarf fruit trees in 4-6 years. Standard-sized trees typically require 5-10 years to begin fruit production. 

So for the shortest time to fruit production, dwarf trees are the winner. Keep in mind that while they may bear fruit the year after planting, or sometimes even the first year, those fruits should be removed and not allowed to grow. 

Your new trees need to focus energy on expanding their root system and growing, not putting all their energy into a few tiny apples or peaches. 

Removing the fruit for the first two years will result in a healthier and more vigorous tree with better quality and higher quantity of fruit in the future.  

Quickly Growing Trees

Maybe you are more interested in a rapidly growing tree for shade, privacy, or aesthetics–filling a bare yard–and bearing fruit is an excellent but secondary consideration.

In general, since a dwarfing rootstock by its nature limits tree size, it will limit the rate of growth of the tree as well. If you are looking for a quicker shade or the look of a more mature tree in a shorter time, choose semi-dwarf or standard fruit trees. 

What Fruit Trees Grow Fast?

Looking for a few suggestions? Try these quick-growing fruit trees. 

• Plums 
• Pears
• Apples
• Peaches

How to Make Fruit Trees Grow Faster

A fast-growing tree of any species is a tree that is located correctly according to its needs for drainage, sunlight, and soil fertility. 

Since most fruit trees enjoy full sunlight and loamy, fertile soil with good drainage, these three factors are the most important to give your tree the best environment for fast growth. 

While the tree is becoming established, adequate deep watering is also essential. Frequently, we water our new tree right away and every week for the first month, but then sort of forget about it as life gets in the way. 

That first growing season is critical, and drought in late summer is a common killer of young fruit trees. 

Annual spring application of general-purpose slow-release fertilizer is all that should be needed. More frequent applications will likely just leach out of the soil or wash away before it is used.

Fast-Growing Fruits in Pots

Some trees, like citrus, peaches, or fig trees, are excellent container fruit tree choices. Choose a dwarf rootstock for the best results. 

Like any container plant, a fruit tree in a container will require more care–more frequent watering, fertilizer application, and repotting with fresh soil–than a tree grown in the ground. 

If you need to move the tree and pot inside for the winter, consider how and where you will move a container that may weigh well over a hundred pounds.