Top 5 Fastest Growing Fruits in the Tropics

If you’re living in Bocas del Toro or any other tropical paradise and want to enjoy fresh fruit from your own garden, you might be wondering which trees are the quickest to start fruiting. Here are five of the fastest-growing tropical fruits that you can plant and enjoy fairly quickly.

1. Bananas (Musa spp.)

Bananas are a staple in tropical gardens, and they grow remarkably fast. Once planted, banana plants can start producing fruit within 9 to 12 months. They thrive in well-drained soil and need plenty of water and sunlight. After flowering, it takes about 2 to 3 months for the bananas to mature. With their quick turnaround, bananas are perfect for those who want a continuous supply of fresh fruit.

2. Passionfruit (Passiflora edulis)

Passionfruit is another fast-growing tropical fruit that is as delicious as it is easy to grow. This vigorous vine can start producing fruit as early as 6 to 12 months after planting, depending on the growing conditions. Passionfruit prefers a sunny spot with well-drained soil and needs a sturdy trellis or a tree or shrub to climb. Once established, you can expect to see it flowering almost year-round. For best results you can handpollinate the flowers & make sure the vine gets enough water while bearing the fruit.

3. Papaya (Carica papaya)

Papaya trees are one of the fastest fruit-bearing plants you can grow in the tropics. Under the right conditions, a papaya tree can start producing fruit in as little as 6 to 9 months after planting — as long as it’s not a male papaya! Papayas love full sun and well-drained soil. Once they start fruiting, papayas can produce continuously, offering a steady supply of this sweet and nutritious fruit.

4. Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

Pineapple is a unique and low-maintenance fruit that can be grown in a small space. Although it takes a bit longer to bear fruit compared to some others on this list, pineapples grown from suckers can produce their first fruit in about 18 to 24 months after planting. We grow them in all sorts of conditions on our farm, but planting them in well-drained soil with lots of sunlight will give you fruits of better quality.

5. Dwarf Coconut (Cocos nucifera var. nana)

If you love the idea of growing coconuts but don’t have the space or patience for a full-sized tree, the dwarf coconut or Malayan coconut is an excellent alternative. Dwarf coconut trees can start bearing fruit in just 3 to 6 years, much faster than their taller counterparts. They also grow to a more manageable height, making harvesting easier. Like other coconut trees, they thrive in sandy, well-drained soil and need plenty of sunlight. In Bocas del Toro it’s quite common to see them in drier areas of mangrove forests as well.

So…

With just a bit of care and patience you can have your own mini tropical orchard in no time. Happy planting!