5 Hybrid Fruit Trees That Produce Delicious Harvests

pluot tree — Credit:
Design Pics Editorial / Contributor / Getty Images

Hybrid fruit trees are created by cross-pollinating two different types of fruit trees to produce a new variety that combines traits from each parent tree. This breeding process yields unique fruit with desirable characteristics, including enhanced flavor and improved texture. For example, cross-pollinating a plum with an apricot produces a pluot, a hybrid fruit bred for its smooth skin and sweet, juicy flesh.

If you want to add hybrid fruit trees to your garden, you’re in for a sweet treat. Hybrid fruit trees are generally easier to grow than standard varieties, as they offer greater adaptability and disease resistance. While hybrid fruit trees can thrive in a wide range of climates, each cultivar has its own specific hardiness and chill hour requirements. To determine the best hybrid fruit tree to plant in your area, find your USDA plant hardiness zone or contact a local nursery for recommendations.

Ahead, a fruit tree expert shares some unique and delicious hybrid trees that can provide delicious and unique harvests.

Sam Hubert, the nursery manager at One Green World Nursery, a retail and mail-order nursery based in Portland, Oregon

01 of 05

Tri-Lite Peach Plum

The Tri-Lite peach plum is a rare hybrid fruit that is a cross between a peach and a Japanese plum. According to Sam Hubert of One Green World Nursery, the fruit resembles a typical white peach, featuring an orange-yellow skin, and has beautiful white flesh with red pigments that bleed in from the skin. He describes the taste as a delicious white peach flavor with a delightful plum aftertaste. This early-season variety is self-fertile, but yields more fruit when planted alongside another peach tree, and requires a low chill time of 400 hours.

Zones: 5 to 9
Size: 10 to 15 feet tall x 10 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil rich in organic matter

02 of 05

Sugar Twist Pluerry

The Sugar Twist pluerry is a unique hybrid of plum and cherry, offering a sweet flavor that blends the sugary taste of ripe cherries with hints of plum. This fruit is known for its early harvest, which typically occurs in early June. According to Hubert, the Sugar Twist pluerry looks similar to a small plum or a large cherry, featuring bright yellow flesh and red skin. It boasts a very high sugar content and requires 500 chill hours. This tree is cross-pollinated, meaning it requires another tree nearby for pollination, such as another pluerry.

Zones: 6 to 9
Size: 12 to 20 feet tall x 10 to 15 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil rich in organic matter

03 of 05

Dapple Dandy Pluot

The Dapple Dandy pluot is a delightful hybrid that combines the best qualities of plums and apricots. Hubert describes the fruit as one of the most visually appealing hybrids, featuring speckled red-and-yellow skin and vibrant red flesh. He notes that it is a favorite at farmers' markets and often excels in taste tests. In spring, the tree displays fragrant pink-and-white flowers with five petals and prominent yellow stamens. The Dapple Dandy, known for its exceptional flavor, ripens from late July to early August. For optimal fruit production, it is recommended to pollinate it with another pluot, and it requires 500 hours of chilling time.

Zones: 5 to 10
Size: 12 to 18 feet tall x 12 to 18 feet wide
Care requirements: Full to partial sun; well-draining soil rich in organic matter

04 of 05

SpiceZee Nectaplum

Introducing the first-ever hybrid of nectarine, peach, and plum, this self-fertile tree resembles a typical white-fleshed nectarine but offers a delightful blend of nectarine and plum flavors, says Hubert. Known for its stunning pink blossoms in spring and deep red leaves, this ornamental tree adds aesthetic beauty and delicious fruit to any landscape. "The SpiceZee nectaplum requires only 200 chill hours but is also very adaptable to climates with higher chill requirements," notes Hubert.

Zones: 6 to 9
Size: 10 to 15 feet tall x 10 to 15 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil rich in organic matter

05 of 05

Flavor King Pluot

The delicious fruit of this hybrid tree resembles plums more than apricots and is a reliable producer. Hubert notes that the fruit has deep red to purple skin, with either bright yellow or deep red flesh, depending on the level of sunlight exposure. Bursting with a candy-like flavor, this colorful fruit is a true garden delight, yielding over 50 pounds of produce. To ensure proper pollination, it is necessary to have another Japanese plum, apricot, or interspecific hybrid that contains a Japanese plum. Additionally, the plant requires 400 chill hours to thrive.