North Carolina

North Carolina Fruit Trees For Sale

Want to know all about growing fruit trees in North Carolina? There are different things to consider for growing and choosing from the right North Carolina fruit trees for sale, such as the

  • Climate
  • Soil type
  • Precipitation
  • Growing zones
  • How to choose the best suited fruit trees for North Carolina

North Carolina Overview

Filled with indescribable mountains, rivers, and beaches, North Carolina is predominantly the ancestral home of the Catawba, Cherokee, Creek, Croatan, Tuscarora, Tutelo, Saponi, Cheraw, Chicora, and Waccamaw tribes. These native tribes have vast knowledge on how to take care of the land in ways that cultivate biodiversity, protect trees from diseases, and don’t harm nature. After white settlers colonized the region, North Carolina became one of the 13 colonies. Due to the introduction of many different fruit varieties, North Carolina now has many orchards growing apples, peaches, and many other fruit trees. We have listed some of our best North Carolina fruit trees for sale below.

pine tree north carolina state tree
The Pine tree, North Carolina’s state tree

Climate

The climate has a huge influence on fruit trees, just as trees have a large impact on the climate. For example, many fruit trees require a certain number of days of cold temperature in order to bear fruit in the spring (chill hours).

  • Most of North Carolina has a humid subtropical climate, characterized by hot and humid summers, and cold to mild winters.
  • In fact, the average high during the summer is in the 90s.
  • While during the winter, the temperature can drop to the 20s.
  • Moreover, the mountain regions in the west get cooler temperatures than the east, which is affected by the Atlantic Ocean.

Soil Type

Most fruit trees need mineral-rich, well-drained, and loamy soil.

  • Although North Carolina has many different types of soil, the state soil is the Cecil soil. This soil is not only well-draining and loamy, but covers around 1.6 million acres of fertile land.
  • If you would like to know the soil in your county, check these USDA soil surveys.

If you would like to see what soil type you have in your backyard, you can do a simple squeeze test.

  • When you do the squeeze test, you will know that you have loamy soil if after squeezing a handful of moist soil, the soil holds its shape but crumbles after lightly poking.
  • If you want to also check for Ph, drainage, worms you can try these DIY easy tests.

Precipitation

Most established fruit trees will need about an inch or so of rainfall every 7-10 days in order to grow and be healthy. Annually this would mean a minimum from 36 – 52 inches of rain. Periods of drought can harm the tree while long periods of rain can cause diseases such as scab and canker for apple trees.

  • North Carolina gets on average around 45 inches of rain annually.
  • In fact, tropical cyclones which come from the east coast make up 15% of this rainfall.
  • Moreover, while North Carolina doesn’t get lots of snowfall, the mountain regions may get about 80 inches of snowfall.

North Carolina Growing Zones for Fruit Trees

What is a growing zone?

Growing zones help growers know which trees will thrive in their region. It is defined by the temperature hardiness, or ability to withstand the minimum temperatures of the zone. For example, certain peach trees which can grow in 5-8 growing zones, shouldn’t be planted in zone 3 because they won’t survive the low temperatures.

  • North Carolina has growing zones ranging from 5b to 8b.
  • In summary, temperatures get cooler the further west one gets away from the coast.

The map below shows the growing zones of the different regions in the state, with some regions reaching -15°F and others reaching 20°F. You can find the zone for your zip code here.

North carolina USDA growing planting zones
USDA Map of North Carolina Growing/Planting Zones

Best North Carolina Fruit Trees For Sale

There are many trees that will grow well in North Carolina. In fact throughout the regions, there are already many apple, peach, plum and various other fruit orchards. In order to pick the right trees for your specific location and needs, you should therefore also consider the following characteristics for each tree. You can read more about these considerations here.

  • Pollination
  • Rootstock
  • Chill hours
  • Disease resistance

Central North Carolina

  • apples, chestnuts, figs, pears (Asian and European), pecans, persimmons (American and Asian), and plums. ‘Lovell’ and ‘Halford’ rootstocks work well for peaches in the NC piedmont.

Western North Carolina

  • apples, chestnuts, pears (Asian and European), and plums.
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