If you could only have ONE potted fruit tree for a balcony.

[BonsaiBeast]

I'm trying to decide what would make the best potted fruit tree for someone with only a balcony and an interest in tropical fruit trees.

I was thinking a jaboticaba could be a good choice since it does well in a pot, and can space out a crop over the year.

[Jani]

Maybe some kind of citrus especially since you're on socal and dont have the amount of issues we have here with citrus in FL.

[echinopora]

Have a look at brazilian guava (Psidium guineense).

They fruit several times a year, but have the advantage of being much more heat and dry tolerant than jaboticaba. I prefer the fruit to jaboticaba, mine taste very much like strawberry and pineapple jam.

[j-grow]

A grafted Bud light, miller lite, Coor's light Franken tree?   ......... if you can only pick one

[sunny]

The best guava you can find...

[Mikey]

If i had one choice it would be chili!!!!!  Easy to grow, does well in all weather and u can move it indoor if u live some place that snow.

But if u want exotic then guava or Australian finger lime.

[WGphil]

Pickering mango

[fyliu]

Does an interest in tropical fruit trees mean this person would be willing to put in the effort to keep it healthy and alive? or just having the tree and it's a bonus if it doesn't die from neglect?

Miracle fruit is very good for containers. Not low maintenance.

[Tropheus76]

Miracle fruit not low maintenance? Are you joking? Aside from olives, its the best no maintenance shrub out there. Have had one for years in a half barrel pot half under an overhanging eave. I rarely even water the thing. Took the 20s weather we had a month back and didn't even lose a leaf.

Pickering Mango is a good call, you want a good sized pot or self root pruning pot though.

Fig of whatever variety you want, does take quite a bit of water.

Maybe a Barbados cherry in a good sized pot?

[achetadomestica]

My 3 red jaboticabas  fruited about 7 or 8 times last year. They have fruited twice this year and have flowers now.

[fyliu]

Miracle fruit not low maintenance? Are you joking? Aside from olives, its the best no maintenance shrub out there. Have had one for years in a half barrel pot half under an overhanging eave. I rarely even water the thing. Took the 20s weather we had a month back and didn't even lose a leaf.

It's good that it's easy for you. It's not so easy to grow in my area. I have to roll it in and out of the garage every day so it doesn't get too cold and defoliate in cold nights. It happened last year and it took most of the year to grow back and start fruiting again.

[PahoaJo]

I would get a dwarf lime tree because of its practicality.  It would always be a nice to have a lime on hand when you're cooking, for Thai or Mexican food.  Limes are great in cocktails and other drinks.  If you want to be a little more exotic, then maybe a finger lime for mostly the same reasons.  Plus, people who aren't so familiar with fruit always get a kick out of them.

[barath]

I had a big rooftop garden recently, with everything in containers.  My number one choice would be passionfruit, if the person is willing to put up something for it to grow on.  Looks great, easy to grow in San Diego, drops fruit when they're mature (takes the guessing out of it), and does well in a large container (15 gallon or larger).  Frederick is easy to find at nurseries and is very vigorous, so it's a good option for someone new to it.

Figs also do well in large pots, but they require quite frequent watering or they wilt.  (This is the opposite of figs in the ground -- in-ground figs are quite drought tolerant.  I think the difference is that a fig in the ground can send its roots far and wide in search of water.)

Pineapple is also a nice one, and easy to grow and fruit in a 15 gallon pot, and requires minimal watering and care.

Pineapple guavas will also do well, but like figs they're much more sensitive in a container than in the ground.  (They are amazingly resilient in the ground.)

Tree tomato is a nice oddity to keep in a large container -- it'll grow 15 feet tall with giant leaves in a 15 gallon pot and fruit heavily.

[fruitlovers]

Depends on what you're shooting for? Do you want big production? Do you want aesthetics? Do you want something really exotic?
Jaboticaba would not be a good choice, i think, unless you can get an already well established tree, as they are really slow growing and fruiting. Or maybe you don't mind the wait?
One potted plant i was really happy when i lived in southern Cal was strawberry guava. Super easy to grow, and made lots of fruits. And you can add them to so many dishes or smoothies. And it's pretty bullet proof.
 

[barath]

Depends on what you're shooting for? Do you want big production? Do you want aesthetics? Do you want something really exotic?
Jaboticaba would not be a good choice, i think, unless you can get an already well established tree, as they are really slow growing and fruiting. Or maybe you don't mind the wait?
One potted plant i was really happy when i lived in southern Cal was strawberry guava. Super easy to grow, and made lots of fruits. And you can add them to so many dishes or smoothies. And it's pretty bullet proof.

Ah, yes -- I forgot to include lemon/strawberry guava.  Oscar is right -- they fruit well in containers.  I always preferred lemon guavas because they're larger and a bit sweeter.