9 Fast-Growing Fruit Trees You Can Grow Indoors, According to Gardening Experts

Key Lime Bush

Contrary to its name, key lime bush (Citrus x aurantiifolia) is technically a tree, albeit a smaller one. For indoor use, you can prune it to your preferred size to bring a fresh green accent to bright corners and enclosed patios.

"This compact citrus plant is happy in sunny windows and patios, and will produce delicious, tart limes all season," says Erin Scottberg, licensed horticulturist and head of content at The Sill.

Since it's a fast grower, you can look for delicious, pie-ready fruits during the plant's first season. Key lime bushes are also self-pollinating.

• Size: 6 feet tall x 3 feet wide
• Growing conditions: Full sun, well-draining soil 
  

Dwarf Meyer Lemon

Dwarf Meyer lemon trees (Citrus x meyeri) thrive in pots with plenty of sun exposure. They produce lemons at just two to three years old, says Justin Hancock, horticulturist at Costa Farms.

Look for "fragrant white blossoms, glossy leaves, and sweet-tart lemons nearly year-round," he says. "Meyer lemons are a cross between lemons and mandarins, giving them a sweeter flavor."

• Size: 4 to 6 feet tall x 2 feet wide
• Growing conditions: Full sun; well-draining, slightly acidic soil

Chicago Hardy Fig

Chicago hardy fig plants (Ficus carica 'Chicago Hardy'), which grow in cooler climates than other figs, provide a bevy of fruits from their first year.

"A great choice for containers, a Chicago hardy fig is a resilient and prolific plant," says Scottberg. "Give it the right conditions and you’ll be eating figs from late summer through fall."

• Size: 6 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wide
• Growing conditions: Full sun, loamy, well-drained soil

Hass Avocado Tree

Make sure you never run out of ingredients for your famous guacamole with an indoor avocado tree.

"A fast-growing Hass avocado tree (Persea americana 'Hass') is a great pick for containers—the foliage is interesting year round, and it doesn’t require any special care," says Scottberg. "It can grow very tall, but keeping it in a container will keep its size manageable."

• Size: 5 to 7 feet tall x 3 feet wide
• Growing conditions: Full to part sun; sandy/loamy, well-draining soil 

Cold Hardy Red Pomegranate

The vibrant blossoms on a cold hardy red pomegranate plant (Punica granatum) quickly give way to versatile fruits that you can use in all sorts of recipes—from pizza to panna cotta.

"Get delicious, nutritious, juicy fruits in the first season with this fast-growing, container-friendly pomegranate plant," says Scottberg. "Its pretty red flowers aren’t bad to look at, either."

• Size: 8 feet tall x 4 to 5 feet wide
• Growing conditions: Full sun, well-draining soil, slightly acidic
  

Dwarf Cavendish Banana

 A dwarf Cavendish banana (Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Cavendish') can produce fruit within its first two years, provided it has the right humidity and care, says Hancock.

While you're waiting: "The plant produces stunning, large leaves and occasional ornamental flowers; lush tropical foliage adds visual appeal," he says.

• Size: 5 to 6 feet tall x 6 feet wide
• Growing conditions: Bright, indirect to direct light; consistently moist, well-draining soil with high organic matter

Calamondin Orange

Invest in a mature, grafted Calamodin orange plant (Citrofortunella mitis) and you can harvest fresh citrus in year one, says Hancock.

"[It] thrives in pots, tolerates lower humidity better than other citrus, and has an ornamental, bushy shape," he says. "[It] produces small, tangy oranges ideal for marmalades or drinks; it's also highly decorative with fragrant blooms."

• Size: 3 to 4 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wide
• Growing conditions: Full sun; well-draining, slightly acidic potting mix.

Acerola Cherry Tree

Pollination may be one of the challenges of getting indoor plants to bear fruit, but the self-fertile acerola cherry (Malpighia emarginata) does the work for you.

"It's a shrubby plant that tolerates a bit more drought conditions than other fruit, and has attractive pink flowers that turn into fruits," says Hancock. With regular watering, well-drained soil, and humidity levels between 50 and 70 percent, the tree will produce cherries that are known for having more vitamin C than an orange.

• Size: 6 feet tall x 4 to 6 feet wide
• Growing conditions: Full sun; well-draining soil
  

Nova Red Raspberry

While not a tree, per se, we can't deny this fruitful bush. In fact, Scottberg calls the Nova red raspberry "a staff favorite here at The Sill," where the plant's smaller size and bright berries are a natural choice for indoor plantings. "This raspberry bush produces pints of juicy berries all season long and is very low-maintenance—just don't let it dry out," she says.

• Size: 4 to 5 feet tall x 3 to 5 feet wide.
• Growing conditions: Partial to full sun, well-draining soil