6 Fruits That Ripen in Spring

While spring is much appreciated for the return of the green, the blooming of flowers, and the buzzing of bees, summer and fall get most of the good press in terms of fresh fruit. Apple-picking season is a fall activity. A juicy peach pleases summer audiences. And, so the list proceeds: figs, pears, blackberries, raspberries, watermelon, melon, plums, grapes…

But, spring is much more than fresh greens. It’s more than asparagus spears and morel mushrooms, which isn’t to say these things aren’t wonderful and worthy of celebration themselves. It’s only to ponder when we want something sweet on a warm May afternoon, where do we turn?

Well, spring does have some sweet stuff to offer up as well. Here are several fruity favorites that reach their pinnacle in the spring. Who knows, some of these might even grow right where you live.

1. Apricots

Source: GeneralProduce/YouTube

An underappreciated stone fruit more known for its jam or dehydrated snack, apricots are very tasty when they’re fresh. However, growers tend to avoid them because they flower earlier than similar fruits, like peaches and nectarines, which makes them vulnerable to frost damage.

In short, in the right place at the right time, they are a delicious late spring treat. In the United States, California produces the bulk of our apricots, with Utah and Washington chipping in a small percentage. In So Cal, they can be found as early April with the season stretching to July.

2. Cherries

Whether sweet or sour, fresh cherries are ridiculously delicious, and they are hitting their stride right towards the end of spring, particularly in California. But, spring cherries are also common along the east coast in North Carolina and Virginia, as well as in the Midwest in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois.

Of course, cherries are fantastic to eat as is, but they are also very well respected as pie fillers. So, start looking for them around May and expect to enjoy them well into the summer.

3. Grapefruit

Diet plans have done grapefruit a disservice by including them so often as some sort of diet food. The fact of the matter is that grapefruit is possibly the most delicious of citrus fruits. And, it has a super long season, lasting throughout the year in many places.

Unfortunately for most of us in the US, grapefruits aren’t a possibility. They prefer really warm climates like Louisiana, Florida, Texas, and California. The great news is that, like other citrus fruit, grapefruit season is in the winter and beginning to wane in spring. So, fresh fruit will be available in March.

4. Kumquats

Source: Chip Brewster/YouTube

Though most of us need an explanation of a kumquat before we look for one, that doesn’t change the notion that they are delicious when available. Kumquats are tiny citrus fruits and the only citrus that can be eaten peel and all.

They have a sweet, tart flavor. Although they are only grown commercially in Florida and California (in the US), the tree is cold-hardy (resistant up to 10 F) throughout much of the continental United States, so it might be possible to grow a kumquat tree at home.

5. Lemons

The chillier months are the domain of citrus fruit, and the lemon, although rarely eaten merely as a fruit, is possibly the citrus family’s most commonly sought-after member. It’s squeezed into ice tea, used to brighten up dishes and dips (hello hummus!) and, rumor has it, converted into a damned tasty pie.

Lemons, like other citrus fruits, like warmer climates. However, some varieties can endure freezing temperatures, and there are many cultivars small enough to keep as a houseplant in a sunny window.

6. Strawberries

Strawberries are at the wildest in the early summer, but some types will provide a decent springtime harvest. This is especially the case in the South, where temperatures get up a little sooner than in Michigan or New York.

In general, June is considered the peak season for strawberries, and that season extends for about a month. Many varieties of strawberries are categorized as “June-bearing.” However, there are ever-bearing and day-neutral strawberries that have much longer seasons.

7. Honorable Mention: Rhubarb

Source: Clean & Delicious/YouTube

It’s a little bit of a cheat, but it seems tragic not to include rhubarb on this list. Nine times out of 9.2 times we have rhubarb, it’s eaten similar to fruit: in a crumble, in a pie, or as a jam. It pairs wonderfully with strawberries, which are springing out at the same time.

Rhubarb, however, is admittedly not a fruit. It’s a perennial vegetable that’s easy to grow and makes for a beautiful, leafy plant during the summer months. It’s a great inclusion in gardens and orchards.

So, there it is, and it is official now: Springtime does have ripe fruits on the go, and we should make the most of them while they are going. For that matter, why not have a few growing around the homestead if we like them so much!

Related Content:

• 10 Fruits and Vegetables to Look for in Early Spring Farmers’ Markets
• What to Plant This Spring: 7 Trees That Take Less Than 3 Years to Bear Fruit
• Why You Should Prune Your Fruit Trees Before Spring (and Tips on How to Do It)
• Why You Should Plant Fruit Trees in the Yard and How to Do It

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