Some backyard fruit trees in Washington are true long-living treasures, producing for generations. I love how these trees not only give you fresh fruit year after year but also become part of your family’s story.
Apples, pears, and other hardy varieties can thrive for a century with the right care. Planting one now means enjoying its beauty and harvests for years to come.
1. Apple
These hardy favorites thrive throughout Washington state, with some varieties living well beyond 100 years. Old apple trees on homesteads across the Cascade region still produce bountiful harvests.
With proper pruning and care, your backyard apple tree can become a family heirloom. Washington’s climate provides ideal growing conditions for dozens of heritage varieties that develop complex flavors other states can’t match.
2. Pear
Unlike their cousins that need replacing every few decades, European pears can easily reach the century mark in Washington’s climate. Their elegant form adds beauty to any landscape while providing reliable harvests.
The cool, moist conditions of western Washington particularly suit these long-lived trees. Some of the oldest documented pear trees in the Pacific Northwest continue producing sweet, buttery fruits well into their second century.
3. Sweet Cherry
With their spectacular spring blossoms and summer bounty, sweet cherry trees can reach impressive ages in Washington’s fruit-growing regions. The state’s volcanic soils promote exceptional root development and longevity.
Many Washington orchardists report cherry trees producing quality fruit well past their 80th birthday. With adequate spacing and proper pruning, these magnificent trees can reach 30 feet tall and continue bearing for over 100 years.
4. Mulberry
Often overlooked by Washington gardeners, mulberry trees are virtually indestructible once established. Their deep root systems handle our state’s occasional droughts with ease while producing berries for decades.
These underrated trees provide abundant harvests without the fussy care other fruits demand. Washington’s climate allows mulberries to develop full sweetness, and the trees can easily reach 100-150 years while maintaining steady production.
5. Quince
These aromatic relatives of apples and pears bring old-world charm to Washington gardens. Their twisted, gnarled trunks develop incredible character over their century-long lifespan, becoming living sculptures.
Washington’s cool autumn temperatures help quince develop their signature fragrance. These resilient trees thrive in our state’s diverse growing regions, from rainy western counties to the drier eastern side, producing aromatic fruits for jellies and preserves.
6. Black Walnut
Beyond their valuable timber, black walnut trees produce nutritious nuts for generations. These towering giants thrive in Washington’s valleys, with documented specimens living 150+ years while still producing abundantly.
Their deep taproots access groundwater during our state’s occasional dry spells. Washington gardeners appreciate how these majestic trees require minimal maintenance while providing both shade and nutritious harvests for over a century.
7. Persimmon
American persimmons develop incredibly dense, rot-resistant wood while producing sweet fruits well into old age. Their slow growth results in trees that can live 150+ years in Washington’s temperate climate zones.
Many Washington gardeners are surprised how well these traditionally southern trees perform here. The cool falls allow fruits to develop perfect sweetness without the astringency often found in persimmons grown in other states.
8. Medlar
These unusual fruits were prized by Victorian gardeners for their caramel-like flavor after frost. Washington’s reliable winter chill makes it ideal for medlars, which can easily live and produce for 100+ years.
These conversation-starting trees develop beautiful, twisted forms as they age. Washington gardeners appreciate their resistance to most pests and diseases common in our state, making them reliable producers decade after decade.
9. Chestnut
With their massive trunks and spreading canopies, chestnut trees become neighborhood landmarks. Disease-resistant varieties thrive in Washington’s climate, regularly living beyond 150 years while producing nutritious nuts.
Washington’s forestry history includes many ancient chestnut trees. Modern blight-resistant varieties give today’s gardeners the opportunity to plant these magnificent trees that will feed families for generations to come.
10. Fig
Surprisingly hardy in Washington’s maritime climate, fig trees develop massive trunks and sprawling branches over their century-long lifespans. The oldest specimens in our state are living proof of their remarkable longevity.
Figs grown in Washington develop exceptional sweetness due to our long summer days. These ancient trees require minimal care once established, becoming more productive and developing deeper flavors as they age past 50, 75, and even 100 years.
11. Pawpaw
North America’s largest native fruit thrives in Washington’s sheltered valleys. These understory trees form colonies that can persist for centuries, with individual specimens living 100+ years in favorable locations.
Washington’s climate provides the perfect balance of heat and chill hours for pawpaws. Their tropical-tasting fruits develop exceptional flavor in our state, with custard-like flesh that tastes like banana-mango-vanilla ice cream.
12. Hazelnut
These Northwest natives form the backbone of Washington’s nut industry for good reason. Wild specimens regularly live 80-100 years, while cultivated trees with proper care can produce for even longer.
Washington’s climate provides ideal growing conditions for these resilient producers. Their extensive root systems allow them to weather drought years that stress other fruit trees, making them reliable backyard producers for generations.
13. Serviceberry
Native to Washington’s forests, serviceberry trees combine ornamental beauty with delicious berries. These understory trees regularly live beyond 100 years in their natural habitat and bring the same longevity to home gardens.
Their early white blossoms announce spring across Washington state. The sweet purple berries that follow provide decades of harvests for jams and pies, with trees becoming more productive as they mature through their first century.
14. Pecan
Though often associated with southern states, pecans surprise Washington gardeners with their adaptability and longevity. In protected locations, these majestic trees regularly live 150+ years while producing nutritious nuts.
Washington’s long summer days help pecans develop full flavor. Though they grow more slowly here than in southern states, this measured growth contributes to their exceptional longevity and creates stronger wood that resists storm damage.
15. Cornelian Cherry
These dogwood relatives produce tart red fruits perfect for preserves and sauces. Washington’s climate allows them to develop their full potential, regularly living 100+ years while increasing production with age.
The early spring flowers brighten Washington gardens weeks before other trees bloom. Their dense, rot-resistant wood contributes to their exceptional longevity, with some European specimens documented to have lived and produced for over 400 years.
16. Olive
In Washington’s warmest microclimates, cold-hardy olive varieties can live for centuries. These Mediterranean natives develop gnarly, character-filled trunks as they age, becoming living sculptures that produce valuable fruits.
Washington’s long summer days help olives ripen fully. While they grow more slowly here than in their native range, this measured growth contributes to their incredible longevity, with trees often producing for 500+ years in ideal conditions.