Selecting Fruit Trees for the Coastal Bend

Things to consider when choosing fruit trees to fruit successfully in our climate. 

Many temperate fruit tree varieties such as apples, pears, peaches, plums, etc. don’t do well In South Texas.

Why? We live in a semi-tropical environment with a very mild winter and not a true temperate climate with a consistently cold winter.

 

Fruit trees chill hour requirements

Fruit trees, such as apples, peaches, pears, plums, require a period of dormancy and the accumulation of chilling to produce flowers and fruit.

If a fruit tree is grown where winter cold is insufficient to satisfy the variety’s chilling requirement, blooming and foliation will be delayed and erratic; fruit set and fruit quality will be poor.

A chill hour is the amount of chilling received by a plant at 45 degrees F.

 

The Coastal Bend is in Hardiness Zone 9b

Zone 9b: The minimum average temperature range is 25°F to 30°F.

The Coastal Bend on average receives 110-310 Chill hours

For plants to thrive in your geographical area, it requires matching ideal USDA Plant Hardiness Zone compatibility with the optimum amount of chill hours.

 

Pollination of Fruit Trees

Some types of fruit trees may be pollinated with their own pollen and are considered self-fruitful or self-pollinating. Other types of fruit trees require pollen from a different variety of the same type of fruit trees. The transfer of pollen from one variety to a different variety of the same type of tree is called cross-pollination. Cross-pollination is essential for apples, pears & most sweet cherries. Cross-pollination is not essential, but does improve the number of fruit that form on other fruit trees.

Pollen is primarily transferred by honeybees.

 

Fruit Tree Chill Hour, Hardiness Zones & Pollination Requirements

• Almond – 200 to 700 chill hours – Zones 5 – 9 - most require cross-pollination

• Apple – 200 to 1200 chill hours – Zones 5 – 9 – most require cross-pollination

• Avocado – Zones 5 – 9 – A & B types help with increased pollination, but not required

• Banana – Zones 4 – 11 – self-pollinating

• Cherry – 600 to 1200 chill hours – Zones 5 – 7 – most require cross-pollination

• Cherry, Barbados & Surinam – Zones 9b – 11 – self-pollinating

• Citrus Trees – Zones 9 – 11 – self-pollinating

• Figs – 100 to 500 low number of chill hours – Zones 5 – 9  – self-pollinating

• Grapes – 100 to 500 chill hours – Zones 5 – 9 – most are self-pollinating

• Loquat – Zones 8b – 11 – self-pollinating

• Olives – Zones 9 – 11 – most are self-pollinating

• Peaches – 150 to 1200 chill hours – some are self-pollinating

• Pears – 400 to 1500 chill hours – Zones 5 – 9 – some are self-pollinating

• Pecan – 200 to 1600 chill hours – Zones 5 – 9 – most require cross-pollination

• Persimmon – 100 to 500 chill hours – Zones 5 – 9  – some are self-pollinating

• Pomegranate – 100 to 200 chill hours – Zones 7 – 10 – self-pollinating