The incredible rainbow of plants, flowers, and trees in Hawaii add instant color and beauty to any landscape. Fruit trees and vines are among your many landscaping options that provide food, with trees also offering shade from the tropical sun. When planning a trip to your local garden store, consider planting these trees to enjoy a more fruitful property.

4 Fruit Plants & Trees for Hawaii Homes

1. Tangerine

Smaller with a slightly deeper color than oranges, tangerines come in several varieties, including clementines. They’re fall to winter citrus fruits and require plenty of sun to flourish. Rinse the root balls of peat before you plant since these trees prefer neutral soil pH levels.

Keep the soil damp for the first two weeks after planting to encourage strong root systems before settling on a normal watering schedule. Fertilize three times a year; once in February following new growth and again in May and September.

2. Star Fruit

Star fruit features yellow skin and a star-like shape when it is cut. Plant it during any season except summer in Hawaii using loamy, well-draining soil with organic matter from your local garden store. Water it regularly until the tree is established, then continue watering only when the soil is dry. Fertilize young fruit every month except in winter.

3. Passion Fruit

This vining fruit features an egg-like exterior and a sweet and sour, bright-yellow interior with black seeds. Grow it from seeds or cuttings on a trellis in a sunny area of your yard. Plant in the spring and keep in mind it can take 12 to 18 months for the fruit to ripen. Add fertilizer and mulch around the root system, then fertilize every four weeks through summer. Give it plenty of water, especially during the first few months.

2. Rambutans

A truly unusual-looking fruit, rambutans are small, red balls covered with spikes. They taste similar to grapes and must be peeled to eat. Rambutan trees grow best in temperatures ranging from 71 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit and require about two years in pots before being transferred to the earth.

Plant the fruit trees in full sun, use well-draining soil from your local garden store, and fertilize after about six months and again at one and two years. Fertilize every six months after three years and keep the soil damp.

Find the seeds and cuttings you need to start a beautiful, bountiful garden at Garden Exchange in Hilo, Hawaii. The family-owned garden store has served the Big Island for over 20 years and sells a wide range of lawn care and gardening supplies in addition to offering lawn mower repair services. Call (808) 961-2875 to speak with a specialist about their inventor or visit them online to learn more about products and services.