Here's a list of deciduous fruit trees to grow in Brevard County | Sally Scalera

Since we are only in February, I’m sure winter is not over yet, but a week of temperatures in the 80s seems unusual even for a Florida winter.

Because of these warm temperatures, there is a chance deciduous fruit trees, shrubs and vines will begin to flower earlier than normal. Deciduous fruit crops need a certain number of chilling hours, temperatures of 44 degrees or below, to initiate flowering. The unusually warm temperatures that we are experiencing now also affect the chilling hour total, because every hour the temperatures are 80 degrees or above must be subtracted from the chilling hours already accrued this winter. I expect colder temperatures to return before we get to the end of March.

To be able to harvest deciduous fruit here in Brevard County, you will need to select a “low chill” cultivar that only requires 150 chilling hours. Take for example Red Delicious apples, which need 400 chilling hours. Even if a red delicious tree would grow here, it would never produce fruit.

In Central Florida, we have four apple cultivars that we can grow: Dorsett Golden, Ein Shemer, Anna and Tropic Sweet.   Our bulletin also mentions if cross-pollination is required, as is the case for Tropic Sweet. This cultivar is not self-fruitful and needs to be planted with Anna or Dorsett Golden so cross-pollination can occur.

For anyone who is interested in growing deciduous fruit in their yard, the go-to source for information is our FruitScapes site at trec.ifas.ufl.edu/fruitscapes. This site contains information on temperate, subtropical and tropical fruit crops.

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Just to give you a quick overview, here are the deciduous, or temperate, fruit crops that we have bulletins on how to grow: apple, blackberry and raspberry, blueberry, Chinese date, fig, bunch grape, muscadine grape, peaches and nectarines, pecan, common persimmon, Texas persimmon, plums and pomegranate.  We have bulletins for each of these crops that cover topics such as cultivar selection, planting, watering, fertilizing, general care and pruning.

When it comes to blueberries, we have the Blueberry Gardener’s Guide Bulletin, which covers how to grow blueberries in the ground and in containers. Southern highbush are recommended for our area, and since most cultivars are not self-pollinated, it is recommended to plant another cultivar for cross-pollination. Recommended cultivars include Emerald, Jewel, Star, Windsor, Springhigh, Sweetcrisp and Farthing.

Chinese Date or Chinese Jujube is a deciduous tree with an open, irregular growth habit and spiny, gnarled branches.  The tree can grow 15 to 35 feet tall with a spread of 10 to 30 feet.

Small clusters of fragrant white or yellow flowers appear in spring, though you may not see them since they are hidden in the foliage. One-inch-long fruit is produced and goes from green to dark red and finally black when fully ripe. The sweet fruit is typically eaten fresh, candied, dried like dates or canned.

Another great characteristic of this tree is that it is very cold-tolerant and can survive all the way up into hardiness zone 6A, which is up to Ohio and Kentucky.

Young 2-year-old trees can produce delicious fruit but, because of the high quantity of fruit produced, some people may consider them to be messy trees. Be sure to place the tree away from sidewalks, driveways and patios.

Fig trees, such as Brown Turkey and Celeste, are grown throughout the county. Our bulletin lists 18 additional cultivars so, if you want to grow figs, check out the seven-page bulletin for all the details.

If you are interested in growing grapes, you will want to read both our bunch and muscadine grape bulletins so you can pick the right grape for you. In addition to differences in the ripening characteristics and the actual grapes, they require different pruning practices. Make sure to read about the pruning requirements so that you know what you are getting into.

The Florida peach varieties that only require up to 100 to 150 chilling units include UFSun, UFBest, Floridaprince and TropicBeauty. The lowest chilling unit nectarine variety is Sunbest, which only requires 225 chilling units. This may flower and fruit well in Mims, Titusville and possibly central Brevard County.

Next on the list is the pecan tree. I know of established pecan trees here in Brevard County, but the Atlas of Florida Plants only has vouchered plant samples from wild populations from Orange County and primarily the panhandle area. The cultivar grown here is Elliott.

Since we appear to be on the southern end of its range, be sure to establish the soil food web throughout the root system if you plant a new pecan tree. (This should be done for all plants, including the lawn, throughout your yard. For more information on this topic contact the UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County Master Gardeners at Brevard-1mg@ifas.ufl.edu.)

There are also separate bulletins on the Fruitscapes website for the common and Texas persimmon if you would like to add one or both to your landscape. If you enjoy eating plums, check out the information in our Growing Plums in Florida bulletin. Plums that are best suited for Brevard County are the Gulf series with five choices to consider.

Pomegranates are the last temperate fruit listed, and none require cross-pollination. Many cultivars are listed, with descriptions of their origin, fruit color, size and flavor.  This information can be found at crec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/pomegranates/pom_guide.html.

If you are interested in growing and harvesting your own fruit, you may want to check out your local garden centers, farm supply store or home improvement store.

You may also want to check out the Brevard Tropical Fruit Club brevardtropicalfruitclub.com. This year their huge plant sale will be Saturday, April 22. If you become a member of the club, you will receive an additional 10% off your purchase and will be able to shop on Friday, the day before the public can.

Last year’s sale had such a large turnout, they are increasing the inventory for this year’s sale by 1,000 trees. The sale begins at 8 am and is in the field next to the Melbourne Auditorium at 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. in Melbourne. They will be have a huge selection of fruit trees, shrubs and vines.

Start planning now, so that in the future you can enjoy delicious fruit right from your own backyard. I hope everyone is growing at least one plant that will provide fruit, vegetables or herbs to enjoy, even if you only have a balcony.

Sally Scalera is an urban horticulture agent and master gardener coordinator for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences. Email her at sasc@ufl.edu.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: These fruit trees will produce well in Brevard's warmer climate