Growing Fruit, Berries and Nuts
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Overview
The United Nations estimates for water usage per crop are stated below on plants for which data is available. See Fruit Selection and Cultivation Tips for more information.
Top 10 best tasting fruits of the world when harvested fully ripe (selected varieties only).
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Low to Intermediate
Almond: Prunus amygdalus
Nut tree. Estimated water use: 1927 gallons per pound of nuts harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars) 
Apple: Malus domestica
Fruit tree. Estimated water use: 98 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars) 
Apple Cactus: Cereus repandus
A columnar cactus with edible fruit.
Hot dry climate suitability 
Apricot / Aprium: Prunus armeniaca
Fruit tree. Estimated water use: 154 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Banana: Musa
A fruiting herb. Estimated water use: 94 gallons per pound of bananas harvested,
192 gallons per pound of plantains harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Banana Yucca: Yucca baccata
A fruiting succulent shrub.
Hot dry climate suitability
Blackberry / Boysenberry: Rubus species
A fruiting cane thicket. Estimated water use: 45 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Cactus Pear: Opuntia ficus-indica
Fruiting cactus cultivars grown for edible fruit and pads.
Hot dry climate suitability
Carob: Ceratonia siliqua
A tree with cocoa-flavored seedpods.
Estimated water use: 668 gallons per pound of dried fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability
Cherry, Barbados: Malpighia emarginata
Fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Cherry, Jamaican: Muntingia calabura
Tropical fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Cherry, Surinam: Eugenia bergii
Tropical fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Citrus
Grapefruit: Citrus aurantium
Estimated water use: 61 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Kumquat: Citrus japonica
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Lemon: Citrus limon
Estimated water use: 77 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Lime: Citrus aurantiifolia, etc.
Estimated water use: 77 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Mandarin / Tangerine: Citrus aurantium
Estimated water use: 90 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Orange: Citrus aurantium
Estimated water use: 67 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Date: Phoenix dactylifera
A fruiting palm. Estimated water use: 273 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability
Elderberry: Sambucus cerulea
A fruiting shrub or small tree.
Hot dry climate suitability (most cultivars)
Fig: Ficus carica
A tree where green figs contain flowers and ripe figs are fruit.
Estimated water use: 94 gallons per pound of fresh fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (most cultivars)
Goji Berry: Lycium Barbarum
A fruiting shrub.
Hot dry climate suitability
Golden Berry / Cape Gooseberry: Physalis peruviana
A fruiting herb.
Hot dry climate suitability
Grape: Vitis vinifera
A vine with clustered fruit.
Estimated water use: 73 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Guamuchil / Pink Tamarind: Pithecellobium dulce
A tree producing bean pods with edible filling.
Hot dry climate suitability
Guava: Psidium guajava
Fruit tree or shrub. Estimated water use: 216 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Ice Cream Bean / Pacay: Inga feuilleei
Tropical tree producing bean pods with tasty filling.
Hot dry climate suitability
Jujube: Ziziphus jujuba
Fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability (most cultivars)
Loquat: Eriobotrya japonica
Fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Macadamia: Macadamia
Nut tree.
Estimated water use: 688 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability
Mandarin Melon Berry: Maclura tricuspidata
Fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Mango: Mangifera indica
Fruit tree. Estimated water use: 216 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability
Moringa: Moringa oleifera
A tree with edible seedpods, leaves and flowers.
Hot dry climate suitability
Mulberry: Morus species
Fruit, shade and ornamental tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Natal Plum: Carissa macrocarpa
A fruiting shrub, small tree or groundcover.
Hot dry climate suitability
Olive: Olea europaea
An ornamental fruit tree.
Estimated water use: 361 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability
Papaya: Carica papaya
A single-stemmed, giant herb, taking the form of a palm as it grows.
Estimated water use: 55 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability
Passion Fruit: Passiflora
A vine with large, elaborate flowers and fruit.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Peach / Nectarine: Prunus persica
Fruit tree. Estimated water use: 109 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Pear, Asian: Pyrus pyrifolia
Fruit tree. Estimated water use: 110 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Pecan: Carya illinoinensis
Nut tree.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Peppers, Chilies: Capsicum annuum
A fruiting herb. Estimated water use: 45 gallons per pound of fresh fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Pindo Palm / Jelly Palm: Butia odorata
Fruiting palm tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Pineapple Guava: Feijoa sellowiana
An evergreen shrub or small tree with exotic edible flowers and fruit.
Hot dry climate suitability
Pinyon Pine: Pinus edulis
A long lived shrub bearing pine nuts after 25 years.
Hot dry climate suitability
Plum / Pluot / Pluerry: Prunus salicina
Fruit tree. Estimated water use: 260 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Pomegranate: Punica granatum
Fruit shrub or tree.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Quince: Cydonia oblonga
A tree with apple-like, aromatic fruit.
Hot dry climate suitability
Raspberry: Rubus idaeus
A cane thicket with berries. Estimated water use: 49 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability
Sapodilla: Manilkara zapota
Fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Sherbet Berry: Grewia asiatica
Fruit shrub.
Hot dry climate suitability
Star Cherry / Pitanga-tuba: Eugenia selloi
A tropical, evergreen shrub with ribbed, yellow fruit.
Hot dry climate suitability
Strawberry: Fragaria x ananassa
A fruiting herb.
Estimated water use: 41.5 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability
Tamarind: Tamarindus indica
Tropical tree producing bean pods with tasty filling.
Hot dry climate suitability
Tomato: Solanum lycopersicum
A fruiting herb.
Estimated water use: 26 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars)
Wax Apple: Syzygium samarangense
Tropical fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
White Sapote: Casimiroa edulis
Fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: High
Avocado: Persea americana
Fruit tree. Estimated water use: 237 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (some cultivars) 
Black Sapote / Chocolate Pudding Fruit: Diospyros nigra
Fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Cherimoya: Annona cherimola
Fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Cherry, Brazilian / Grumichama: Eugenia brasiliensis
A fruit shrub or tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Cherry, Capulin: Prunus serotina var. salicifolia
Fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Cherry of the Rio Grande: Eugenia involucrata
Tropical fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Cherry, Sweet: Prunus avium
Fruit tree.
Estimated water use: 192 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability (selected cultivars)
Dragon Fruit: Selenicereus
A fruiting cactus vine.
Hot dry climate suitability
Jaboticaba: Plinia cauliflora
A shrub or tree with dark, grape-like fruit growing directly from its trunks and main branches.
Hot dry climate suitability
Kiwifruit: Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa
A vine with fuzzy brown fruit. Estimated water use: 62 gallons per pound of fruit harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability
Longan: Dimocarpus longan
A tree related to Lychee, but with less tasty fruit.
It is grown the same way that Lychee (see below) is grown except that young seedlings can
survive slightly lower temperatures.
Wherever Longan can easily grow, Lychee is preferred for its superior flavor.
Hot dry climate suitability
Lychee: Litchi chinensis
A tree with red, rough-skinned fruit.
Hot dry climate suitability
Miracle Fruit: Synsepalum dulcificum
Tropical fruit shrub.
Hot dry climate suitability
Peanut Butter Tree: Bunchosia glandulifera
Fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Persimmon, Asian: Diospyros kaki
Fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Pistachio: Pistacia vera
Nut tree. Estimated water use: 1361 gallons per pound of nuts harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability
Spanish Lime: Melicoccus bijugatus
Tropical fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Starfruit: Averrhoa carambola
Tropical fruit tree.
Hot dry climate suitability
Walnut: Juglans regia
Nut tree. Estimated water use: 1111 gallons per pound of nuts harvested.
Hot dry climate suitability
Latest update: May, 2025
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