Easiest edible fruit trees to grow? (Phoenix, Queen Creek: hoa, home, subdivision)

[Synergy38]

I know citrus can grow well, but how about Peaches? Is it too hot?

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Synergy38

I know citrus can grow well, but how about Peaches? Is it too hot?

No, certain varieties (June Gold) grow well. You can pick them off the trees at a grove in Queen Creek. Santa Rosa plums grow well too and pomegranates are right at home here. Grapes are OK, but they are small and susceptible to bugs (a beautiful purple one that eats the leaves).

[nitram]

The bug that eats and strips the grape leaves is called the 'grape leaf skeletonizer'. If anyone has them, BT(bacillis thurengensis) which is sold by the common name Dipel Dust is great for control of these critters.
I may be mistaken but I believe June Gold is,, or was, called Desert Gold. Probably the best peach for the area, small but fruitful.

[HX_Guy]

We have a peach tree in the back yard, just planted it last spring and it's now full of peaches, although they are pretty small...not sure how big they will get but it looks to be doing well.

Mulberry trees also do very well...but are very messy and their fruit stains.

[nitram]

Mulberry's were banned several years ago in Phoenix and some other areas. High allergen content.

[HX_Guy]

Only the male mulberry tree (the one that does not make fruit) was banned from my understanding, that is the one that has high allergen content.

[nitram]

Fruitless mulberry trees were the official banned ones, but all mulberry's have been out of the Phoenix nursery's for years. Most people can't tell a male from a female.

[HX_Guy]

Yea, I've found that they are practically impossible to come by locally, but I did find a nursery here that sells them plus you can order them online.

[Ponderosa]

Fruitless mulberrys were ubiquitous in the JF Long subdivisions of west Phoenix in the 1980s. People would ball them in the winter (cut off all the branches) and the suckers would shoot out in spring with rich green leaves. For me they came to symbolize the undesirable west side (I lived on the east side back then and had that east side superiority thing going on). The trees make an awesome shade tree and a great landscape plant but apparently the bad reputation hurt them as many HOAs ban them - fruitless or otherwise.

Another fruiting tree that has been banned for the benefit of allergy sufferers is the olive. I had a lovely olive in my yard in Ahwatukee and made my own olives every year. I miss that.

[nitram]

You're absolutely right. Olive Tree. This tree is one of the most allergenic trees in the valley. Because of it's allergy-causing nature, new plantings have been strongly discouraged (i.e. banned) in Phoenix and surrounding areas. It produces a flood of wind blown pollen March through May. The pollen is very light and widely distributed so that even areas were the Olive tree has been banned for many years will have significant exposure.
It is also a messy tree with the 1000's of fruit droppings every year, staining the concrete etal.