What Fruits And Vegetables Grow In Texas?
Texas is extremely diverse when it comes to agriculture. You can find an assortment of fruit and vegetables grown on Texas soil, from beets, carrots, and cauliflower to apples, honeydew, and citrus fruits. Each type of fruit and vegetable has a specific harvest date and place of growth. Fruit and vegetables grown under the Texan sun are natural, healthy, and filled with Texan passion.
Fruit That Grows in Texas
In Texas, you'll also find a variety of berries, citrus fruit, and other fruit varieties, giving you plenty of options. Many fruits, including apples, become sweeter when they stay on the fruit trees longer, and the warm Texas weather allows that longer growing period to happen. The sunny days of Texas and warm nights are an ideal climate for citrus. Fruits that grow well in Texas include:
- Apples (Malus domestica), June through November
- Blackberries (Rubus), April through June
- Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum), May through July
- Strawberries (Fragaria ananassa), March through April
- Grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi), October through May
- Navel oranges (Citrus sinensis), October through January
- Valencia oranges (Citrus sinensis 'Valencia'), February through May
- Nectarines (Prunus persica var. nucipersica), May through July
- Peaches (Prunus persica), April through August
- Yellow pears (Solanum lycopersicum), May through August
- Plums (Prunus domestica), June and July
- Oriental persimmons (Diospyros kaki), early Fall
- Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis), May through November
- Honeydew (Cucumis melo var. inodorous), May through November
- Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), May through November
Vegetables That Grow in Texas
Different types of vegetables grow in Texas at different times of the year, whether you grow them from seeds or seedlings. A few, including carrots and green cabbage, can grow year-round while others ripen for shorter periods during different seasons. For example, some cool-season vegetables flourish throughout fall and winter, making it possible to enjoy garden-fresh veggies year-round. Vegetables that grow well in Texas include:
- Carrots (Daucus carota), year-round
- Green cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata), year-round
- Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis), January through April
- Red cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra), January through May
- Savoy cabbage (Brassica oleracea var sabauda), January through March
- Mustard greens (Brassica juncea) and turnip greens (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa), October and April
- Lettuce (Lactuca sativa), May and June
- Red potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) and russet potatoes (Solanum tuberosum 'Russet Burbank), April through September
- Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas), early in the fall through May
- Beets (Beta vulgaris), November through January
- Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica), November through March
- Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis), November through April
- Celery (Apium graveolens), December through April
- Spinach (Spinacia oleracea), November through April
- Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus), April through December
- Bell peppers (Capsicum annuum), May through December
- Squash (Cucurbita), April through May, July through January
- Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), May through November (year-round when grown in a greenhouse)
- Turnips (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa), April through February
Where to Find Fruits and Vegetables
Most of these fruits and vegetables are widely available in Texas and are sold at local farmer's markets, at stands by the road, or at stores. Many winter crops grow year-round through irrigation in the Texas Winter Garden region situated in southern Texas southwest of San Antonio. Citrus fruit produced commercially, including grapefruit and oranges, are usually only grown in the Lower Rio Grande Valley on the Texas-Mexico border.
Vegetables, unlike fruit, are present throughout Texas, not just in specific areas, except for commercially grown potatoes. Sweet potatoes are usually grown in eastern Texas, particularly in Van Zandt County, and other potatoes (Russet, red, and white) are grown in the High Plains, Winter Garden area, and Rio Grande Valley. However, home gardeners can try their hand at many different varieties throughout the state. A large percentage of potatoes are sold fresh while others are processed into potato chips.