Full disclosure: there’s way better ways to earn passive income, but fruit trees add a little something to the farm that gem mineralizers just can’t ever hope to. The trees are seasonal, meaning that they only bear fruit in their respective season. That said, they look super pretty. And I personally can’t go without them. So without any further ado, here are the best fruit trees you should try growing on your farm. Note: All fruits will be ranked based on sell price, relevance as gifts, and overall look.
8. Apricot Trees
Fruit: Apricot Season: Spring Iridium Sale Price: 100g Apricots are, unfortunately, the objectively worst fruit. You can buy the trees from Pierre for 2000g which makes them the cheapest tree to buy. But watch out: the return on the fruits is awful, with a standard quality apricot being worth only 50g. It’s worth planting one, as it’s necessary for the Fresh Fruits quest and can be used in the bundle for the community center. But you’re not going to get rich off apricot trees anytime soon.
7. Cherry Trees
Fruit: Cherry Season: Spring Iridium Sale Price: 160g Cherries are a delicious stone fruit, but watch out: there’s nothing delicious about the return on them in Stardew Valley. They’re a little better than apricot trees, with a standard fruit selling for 80g, but the cost of the tree is 3400g from Pierre, which makes it a bad investment if you’re trying to make back your premium on the tree quickly. To add insult to injury, cherries are only used in the artisan bundle and aren’t an ingredient in any recipes or necessary for any quests – they aren’t even anybody’s loved gift!
6. Mango Trees
Fruit: Mango Season: Summer Iridium Sale Price: 260g Mangoes are a lovely tropical fruit that the player can get from trading 75 mussels to the Island Trader. They’re a loved gift of Leo’s and can be used in the Mango Sticky Rice recipe. The standard fruit sells for 130g, which makes it a decent chunk of change, but it doesn’t rank higher on the list by virtue of how bloody long it takes to rack up 75 mussels! You’d have to have hundreds of crab buckets out for months to get a haul like that.
5. Apple Trees
Fruit: Apple Season: Fall Iridium Sale Price: 200g Apples are a quintessential fall fruit, and these can be purchased from Pierre’s shop for 4000g. The fruits sell for 100g each at the standard quality, which makes them an okay way for some passive income. And they can be used in Cranberry Candy, the Artisan bundle, and the Fodder bundle. The travelling cart sometimes has them at a discount, too! They sell from between 3000 to 5000 gold, so check it out and maybe you’ll get lucky. Another dollar not in Pierre’s greedy pockets!
4. Orange Trees
Fruit: Orange Season: Summer Iridium Sale Price: 200g Oranges are a juicy summer fruit and can be bought from Pierre for 4000g. The travelling cart also has them sometimes, and they sell there for 3000 to 5000g. The base sell price for the standard quality fruit is 100g, which makes it about the same as apples, but it ranks higher because it’s also a loved gift for Gus. Raising Gus’ friendship level is a great way to get recipes – after all, the man does own the Stardrop Saloon!
3. Peach Trees
Fruit: Peach Season: Summer Iridium Sale Price: 280g Peaches are a high-selling fruit that can be bought from Pierre for 6000g, or from the travelling cart for between 4,500 and 7,500g. The standard quality fruit sells for 140g, which makes it one of the higher selling fruits in the game. Not only that, but it can be used in the Artisan bundle, and gifted to Robin as a loved gift, making it a great way to rack up those friendship points.
2. Pomegranate Trees
Fruit: Pomegranates Season: Fall Iridium Sale Price: 280g Pomegranates are the definition of go big or go home, in terms of cost. The tree costs 6000g from Pierre, though it can also be bought from the traveling cart for 4,500-7,500. But the standard quality fruit sells for a whopping 140g. It ranks higher than the peach tree because even though they have the same price points, pomegranate fruit is used in the Enchanter’s bundle as well as the Artisan one, and is a loved gift for Elliott.
1. Banana Trees
Fruit: Banana Tree Season: Summer Iridium Sale Price: 300g Banana trees are, hands down, the best fruit tree in the game. They grow year-round on Ginger Island. But beware, they only bear fruit in summer in the Valley. They cost 5 Dragon Teeth, paid to the Island Trader, per sapling. Each standard fruit will sell for 150g, and they’re vital in creating the Island Obelisk, as well as being used in tasty Banana Pudding, which Abigail loves.
