1. Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus)

The jackfruit tree is an elegant sturdy tree with dense foliage consisting of glossy dark-green leaves. It is grown for its large oval-shaped fruits which are spiked on the surface and grow in clusters on various height intervals of the fruit tree.

When ripe, the fruit produces a piquant scent, and the skin must be peeled to reveal its sweet succulent pulp covered in fibers and sap. Grow jackfruit trees in a sunny spot and well-drained soil.

Mature plant height: 33-66ft

Native area: Southern India

2. Longan (Dimocarpus longan)

The longan is an attractive tree with dense foliage. It produces relatively small fruits borne in loose clusters. The fruits are sweet with unique flavor, developing a golden-brown color on the skin when they are ripe.

Plant Longan trees in a sunny area with well-drained soil. They will take 3 to 5 years to fruit after transplanting.

Mature plant height: Over 100ft

Native area: Myanmar and Southern China

3. Papaya (Carica papaya)

Papaya trees are short-lived trees growing from 2 to 7 years. They rapidly grow semi herbaceous trunks and produce big fruits which are eaten for their sweet taste and soft yellow, orange or red flesh. They can easily be blown down by a huge rainstorm, therefore most trees will need support. They are fast growing and can be propagated from seed. Grow papaya plants in sunny sites with well-drained soil.

Mature plant height: 16 to 35 ft

Native area: Tropical America

4. Lychee (Litchi chinensis)

Lychee tree is a relatively small attractive tree with dense foliage. It produces sweet fragrant fruits which are loosely held in clusters. When the fruits are ripe, their leathery skin turns to a showy pinkish color.

Mature plant height: 40-92ft

Native area: China

5. Mango (Mangifera indica)

Mango trees are medium to large trees with a myriad of cultivars that have different fruit shapes and colors. They are grown for their sweet tasting and piquant flavored fruit, which is initially green when raw, but turns to yellow, orange or red when it ripens.

Mango trees easily grow from seed or can be grafted and prefer to grow in sunny areas with well-drained soil.

Mature plant height: Up to 100ft

Native area: India

6. Guava (Psidium guajava)

Guava trees are medium to large-sized showy trees that grow light grey to pale-pink stems. They produce a large number of sweet- tasting medium sized fruits which become soft when ripe. According to variety, their internal flesh turns to yellow, white, pink or red when they ripen. Fruits should be picked earlier as they start to mature and ripen, because they are a favorite of insects and birds.

Mature plant height: Up to 15m

Native area: Mexico, the Carribean, Central America, northern South America.

7. Avocado (Persea americana)

Avocado trees are medium to large trees, often bearing a large volume of fruits. Their fruits are large green berries possessing a single large seed surrounded by buttery pulp. When ripe, the fruits become soft and their covers may stay green or turn purple, red or black.

Mature plant height: Up to 66ft

Native area: Central America, Mexico

8. Tamarind (Tamarindus Indica)

Tamarind trees are large, sturdy, slow-growing trees growing up to 80 ft in height. They are leguminous and produce many fruits which are borne in brown pods containing large seeds embedded in sticky brown pulp which has a sweet-sour taste.

Mature plant height: Up to 80ft

Native area: Tropical Africa

9. Sweet sop/ Sugar apple (Annona squamosa)

Sweet sop is a small deciduous tree with green foliage and rounded shape. It produces fruits in round, heart, conical or ovate shapes which produce white or creamy white pulp with a sweet, pleasant flavor. When ripe, fruits become yellow green or light green in color.

Mature plant height: 10 to 20 ft

Native area: Tropical America and West Indies

10. Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana)

Mangosteen trees are large in size growing up to a height of 82ft. They produce reddish-purple colored fruits containing vesicles filled with fluid. The fruits have a sweet and tangy taste and apart from food, they are also used in making traditional medicine. They are common in Southeast Asia, Southeast India and other tropical areas where they were introduced.

Mature plant height: Up to 82ft

Native area: Southeast Asia

11. Soursop (Annona muricata)

Soursop grows as a small tree with glossy green leaves. It bears large, dark-green ovoid shaped fruits that contain creamy pulp which has a slightly acidic taste. When ripe, the fruits produce a subtle sweet aroma and become soft. Their external coat is prickly. Grow soursop trees in sunny spots with well-drained soil.

Mature plant height: 25-30ft

Native area: The Carribean and Central America

12. Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Pomegranates grow as shrubs or trees with glossy green, narrow and oblong shaped leaves. They produce attractive, medium sized round fruits which are red purple in color. A pomegranate fruit has two parts; an outer pericarp surrounding the fruit and an inner mesocarp where numerous seeds are embedded in a juice which is eaten for its sweet taste.

Pomegranate trees easily grow from seeds and can also be propagated from hard wood cuttings.

Mature plant height: 16-33ft

Native area: Asia, Northeastern Australia

13. Citrus trees (Citrus spp)

This is a group of plants that produce citrus fruits. They include oranges, limes, pomelos, lemons, and grapefruits.

Citrus plants are small to medium-size trees or large shrubs with evergreen leaves. Their fruits are berries containing pulp that has high quantity of citric acid and other organic acids which gives them a unique sharp flavor with strong pleasant fragrance.

Mature plant height: 15-50 ft

Native area: Asia, Northeastern Australia

14. Durian (Durio zibethinus)

Durian trees are large evergreen trees with one or two fruiting periods per year. They produce large oblong to round fruits similar to jack fruits which are spiky on the surface and green to brown in color. The scent of durian fruits is loved by some who regard it as a sweet fragrance but to others, it’s an awful smell regarded as raw sewage or rotten onions.

Mature plant height: 80-165 ft

Native area: Borneo and Sumatra

15. Coconut (Cocos nucifera)

The coconut tree is a large palm tree which apart from its edible fruit, is also grown for ornamental purposes because of its sturdy, beautiful look. It produces a large fruit which has a hard shell and is composed of a clear liquid on the inside called “coconut water” and a white hardened coconut flesh.

Mature plant height: Up to 100 ft

Native area: Tropical pacific areas