A Fruit Cocktail Tree is a tree that produces a combination of different fruits, such as peaches, plums, nectarines and apricots. There are three types of Fruit Cocktail Trees available: Dwarf Citrus Trees, 5-in-1 Fruit Cocktail Trees, and Surprise Medley Trees.
If you’re short on space but still enjoy fruit, a cocktail tree is the ideal solution. These trees can grow an array of fruits together thanks to an age-old horticultural technique called grafting, perfect for those with limited garden space.
Combine stonefruit with peaches, plums and apricots to create an exciting medley of fruits. With this garden-ready tree you could get your first surprise harvest as early as your first year!
What is a Fruit Cocktail Tree?
Fruit Cocktail Trees are a type of tree that can produce a variety of fruits, including peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, and more.
These trees are self-fertile and can be harvested by hand. They typically reach a height of 10 to 15 feet and can produce fruit in as little as one year. Fruit Cocktail Trees are created through the horticultural practice of grafting multiple types of fruit onto the same tree.
Fruit Salad Trees are similar to Fruit Cocktail Trees in that they also produce multiple types of fruit on the same tree. However, Fruit Salad Trees specialize in producing different types of citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, mandarins, oranges, tangelos, pomelos, grapefruits and lemonades.
They also produce apples and stone fruits such as peaches, plums, nectarines and apricots.
How Do You Take Care of a Cocktail Tree?
Varieties
Fruit cocktail trees are an excellent way to grow multiple fruit varieties in a small space. These trees consist of scions of various fruit species grafted onto one rootstock.
Depending on the variety, these can produce citrus fruits, stone fruit or pome fruit. Combining different fruit types creates a more diverse garden and an even greater bounty to harvest!
They can be grown both in containers and on the ground. While they prefer full sun, they will also tolerate part shade.
When cultivating a fruit cocktail tree, you will need to provide it with adequate water throughout the season. The amount needed depends on where in its environment the tree is planted.
Fruit cocktail trees can grow a variety of fruit, such as plums, apricot, nectarine and peach. These delicious ingredients can be used for delicious salads, preserves or pies.
Care
Fruit cocktail trees are trees with multiple varieties of fruits grafted onto them, providing gardeners with an affordable option who don’t have the space for multiple trees. Fruit cocktail trees make great decorations in yards or patios as well.
Fruit cocktail trees, similar to citrus trees, start as a rootstock that has a healthy root system and then take a bud from another variety of fruit tree and graft it onto the rootstock. This allows the grafted tree to thrive and produce delicious fruit.
Care for a fruit cocktail tree involves watering it regularly during hot, dry weather and applying organic slow-release fertilizer twice annually in early spring and late summer.
Finally, prune the plant so that sunlight can penetrate its lower wood without creating large gaps.
Pruning
Fruit cocktail trees are composed of multiple related fruits that have been grafted onto one rootstock. Generally, all the varieties are planted together at once.
This creates a manageable tree with the potential to produce several different types of fruit. For instance, stone fruit can be grafted onto citrus trees or mandarin oranges can be grafted onto an apricot tree.
When pruning, be mindful of any branches that are growing too closely together or touching one another. Doing so can cause damage to the bark and provide an entry point for diseases.
Look for straight sprouts growing from some of your tree’s main branches (known as water sprouts). Cut these off flush with their larger limb, without leaving a stub.
Thinning cuts are used to allow light and air into the canopy of a tree, encouraging fruit production. Generally, only a few branches should be removed at once for best results.
Harvesting
Gardeners and farmers often opt for the fruit cocktail tree, as it produces an array of small fruits. This plant thrives best in regions with full sun and warm weather.
Fruit cocktail trees tend to be self-fertile, but growing more than one will allow for cross pollination and thus higher fruit yields.
Asexual plant grafting, an ancient technique dating back thousands of years, allows a fruit cocktail tree to produce multiple varieties from one tree.
A gardener or nursery worker will attach a branch from one tree to the main stem of another tree using this ancient method.
Fruit cocktail trees require regular pruning to allow sunlight to pass through all their branches and leaves. When doing this, make sure all branches point outward from the tree’s center.
Where Can I Buy a Fruit Cocktail Tree?
Fruit Cocktail Trees are available for purchase from several online nurseries, including Fast Growing Trees, E-Burgess, Brighter Blooms, and Pixies Gardens. Prices range from $149.95 to $219.99, depending on the size of the tree.
The Fruit Cocktail Tree is a unique tree that produces a variety of fruits, including peaches, plums, nectarines, and apricots. The tree can grow up to 15 feet tall and is self-pollinating, so it does not need to be planted in pairs for cross-pollination.
It is important to provide the Fruit Cocktail Tree with full sun and well-drained soil in order to ensure optimal growth and fruit production. Proper care also includes regular pruning and training of the tree in order to maintain its shape and health.
