Florida’s gardens are full of potential, but not every fruit tree thrives under the heat and humidity. Some varieties struggle to grow, produce poorly, or attract unwanted pests.
Picking the right tree can make all the difference for a fruitful harvest. These 14 fruit trees often have a hard time in Florida gardens.
1. Cherry Trees
Most cherry varieties need colder winters than Florida can provide. Without enough chill hours, these trees won’t produce properly in the Sunshine State.
Even sweet cherries that might survive won’t fruit well. Florida gardeners often watch their cherries struggle with fungal issues in the humid conditions.
2. Apple Trees
Traditional apple varieties require 800-1,000 chill hours to produce fruit properly. Florida’s mild winters simply don’t deliver the cold these trees need to reset their growth cycles.
While a few low-chill varieties exist, most apples planted in Florida develop poor fruit quality and suffer from fire blight disease in the humid climate.
3. Pecan Trees
Fungal diseases run rampant on pecan trees in Florida’s humidity. The state’s frequent summer rains create perfect conditions for scab disease that can devastate harvests.
Growing tall and majestic elsewhere, pecans in Florida often produce smaller nuts with poor filling. Many Florida gardeners find their pecan dreams crushed by persistent pest problems.
4. Pear Trees
European pears rarely succeed in Florida’s climate, suffering from fire blight bacteria that spreads rapidly in humid conditions. The disease blackens branches as if they’ve been scorched by flames.
Without sufficient winter chill, many pear varieties fail to flower properly in the Sunshine State. Those that do often produce disappointing, grainy fruit.
5. Apricot Trees
Apricots bloom early, making them extremely vulnerable to Florida’s unpredictable late winter frosts. One cold snap can destroy an entire season’s potential harvest overnight.
The high humidity in Florida also leads to serious fungal issues on apricot trees. Most varieties simply can’t handle the moisture levels that are normal for the state.
6. Plum Trees
Japanese plums might occasionally produce in northern Florida, but they’re generally unreliable. Most European plum varieties completely fail in the state’s warm winters.
Brown rot disease strikes plum trees hard in Florida’s humid environment. Many Florida gardeners watch helplessly as their plums develop fuzzy brown spots just before harvest time.
7. Persimmon Trees
American persimmons can survive in Florida but often produce bitter, inconsistent fruit. The astringent varieties particularly struggle to fully ripen their fruit in the state’s climate.
The trees frequently suffer from anthracnose disease in Florida’s humidity. Even when fruit does develop, Florida gardeners often find persimmons dropping prematurely during summer storms.
8. Nectarine Trees
Nectarines require specific chill hours that Florida rarely provides. Without this cold period, trees bloom irregularly and produce little to no fruit.
Leaf curl disease runs rampant on nectarines in Florida’s humid conditions. Many Florida gardeners find their nectarine dreams quickly turn into a disappointing battle against pests and diseases.
9. Walnut Trees
Black walnuts might survive in northern Florida but rarely thrive. The trees struggle with the state’s sandy soils that lack the rich nutrients they crave.
English walnuts fare even worse, suffering from bacterial blight in Florida’s humidity. Most Florida gardeners find walnut trees decline rapidly, with yellowing leaves and poor nut production.
10. Raspberry Bushes
While not technically trees, raspberry bushes deserve mention as they consistently disappoint in Florida gardens. The intense summer heat causes the canes to wither before producing meaningful harvests.
Florida’s nematode-rich soils attack raspberry roots aggressively. Most varieties planted in the Sunshine State struggle through one poor season before declining completely.
11. Almond Trees
Almond trees require dry conditions during flowering and fruiting – the opposite of Florida’s humidity. Fungal diseases quickly attack the blossoms and developing nuts in typical Florida weather.
Without sufficient winter chill, almond trees in Florida often fail to break dormancy properly. Many Florida gardeners find their almond trees producing beautiful flowers but no actual nuts.
12. Pomegranate Trees
Pomegranates might survive in Florida but rarely produce quality fruit. The high humidity causes the fruits to split open prematurely, inviting pests and rot before harvest time.
Leaf-footed bugs target pomegranates aggressively in Florida gardens. Many Florida enthusiasts find their pomegranate dreams crushed when fruits develop black rot from the inside.
13. Olive Trees
Olive trees might survive as ornamentals in Florida but rarely produce fruit. The high humidity interferes with proper pollination, resulting in beautiful trees with no harvest.
Olive leaf spot disease spreads quickly in Florida’s moist conditions. Many Florida gardeners watch their Mediterranean dreams fade as their olive trees develop spotted, yellowing leaves year after year.
14. Pistachio Trees
Pistachio trees demand hot, dry summers and cold winters – conditions completely opposite to Florida’s climate. Without sufficient winter chill, they fail to break dormancy properly.
Florida’s humidity leads to devastating fungal problems on pistachio trees. Most Florida gardeners who attempt pistachios find their trees struggling with constant disease issues and zero nut production.