8 Fast-Growing Fruit Trees You Should Plant In March

If you want to know exactly when to start planting for spring 2026, March could be the perfect time for some kinds of fruit trees, mostly depending on where you live. Aim to plant after the ground thaws and grows softer but before much new growth emerges. While you can grow fruit trees from seed, if you want the tree to bear fruit faster, it's a better idea to plant a sapling. 

A number of relatively fast-growing fruit trees can be planted in March, including Asian pear and dwarf apple trees, as well as some pit fruits, like plums and cherries. Pick where you want your tree carefully. Most need lots of sun and well-draining soil. You want to avoid low-lying areas where rainfall can puddle or pool. Once you have a good spot in mind and find your tree at a nursery, you'll be ready to harvest within a year or more, depending on the type and variety. Read on for eight of the top fast-growing fruit trees you should plant this spring.

Asian pear trees (Pyrus pyrifolia) can be planted in March and most likely will bear fruit in two to five years. That may not sound fast, but an average pear tree tends to flower and fruit between three and ten years after planting. Asian pear trees thrive in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5 to 8. They'll take full sun, but they can also make do with partial shade. These upright trees can also be grown as espaliers if you're feeling adventurous.

If you're looking for a fast-growing plum (Prunus domestica) tree to plant in March, then try the 'Santa Rosa' cultivar. This beloved variety among home fruit-growers tends to grow so fast, it's like it has a one-year head start over most other kinds of plum trees. While most plum trees need between four and six years to mature, 'Santa Rosa' can do it in three. Hardy in zones 5 to 9, this plant is best to grow from a sapling since growing a plum tree from a pit is not ideal. 

If you plant a sweet 'Bing' cherry (Prunus avium) this March, there's a possibility you could have cherries next year. Since this variety has been known to grow fruit quickly . To grow the 'Bing' cherry tree, you'll need to live in zones 5 to 8. You also will need to grow more than one, since this fruit tree needs cross pollination to flower. Make sure to check out pollination compatibility for whatever variety you decided to buy.

The dwarf (Malus pumila) apple tree does well when planted in early spring. It's also likely to grow faster than normal-sized apple trees. Dwarf cultivars tend to mature and develop fruit in two to five years. For standard-sized trees you could be waiting up to ten. That's partly because dwarf trees only grow to be about half the size of their counterparts. Dwarf apple trees tend to do well in zones 4 to 6. 

If you live in a warm climate, then March is a great time to plant the sweet lychee (Litchi chinensis) tree. This tropical fruit tree prefers zones 10 to 11, which is probably why it's popular in temperate regions of China, Taiwan, and Thailand. Lychee is a fast-growing tree that can flower in a year under the right conditions, which include lots of sun and shelter from the wind. Planted in a pot, it can grow to be 8 to 10 feet tall.

If you want to have something healthy to put in your smoothie next year, then install a goji berry (Lycium barbarum) plant this March. Goji berries grow quickly, sometimes producing fruit within two years. They do best in zones 4 to 9, and prefer soil slightly alkaline to neutral. Just don't plant them in rich soil, or you might get less fruit. They like their soil on the sandy loam side.

Fig trees (Ficus carica) are known to grow quickly and can yield fruit in one year. It's a good idea to plant them in early spring when they're still dormant, butmake sure there's no lingering threat of frost. Fig trees aren't too picky about soil. However, they have sunlight preferences, with full sun being ideal. They thrive in zones 7 to 10, but you could consider planting in a pot to bring indoors for colder zones.

If you want a reliable, fast-growing fruit tree, try planting a 'Bartlett' pear (Pyrus communis) this spring. While it's not as fast a grower as the Asian pear, this variety has a nice habit of producing fruit when it's still relatively young, so you won't have to wait too long. This hardy fruit tree thrives in zones 5 to 7 and prefers full sun. It likes soil a little bit acidic with a pH between 6 and 7.