Hi, I’m a horticultural consultant and want to share my knowledge and experiences in identifying flowering fruit trees with you. Let’s find out how to identify a fruit tree by flower.
Based on my experience, we can easily identify some fruit trees by their blooms including Pomegranate (orange-red blooms with 5 petals), Pawpaw (maroon-burgundy flowers with 3 petals), and Citrus Trees (white to pink flowers with 5 elongated petals).
However, distinguishing between some fruit trees such as Apple, Peach, Pear, Cherry, Plum, and Apricot Trees just based on their blooms is hard:
- All of these trees have small white to pink blooms (dependent on their varieties)
- Their blooms have oval to round soft delicate petals
- The petals are arranged around a central point.
So, you must use other features such as leaf shape or tree canopy to distinguish between these flowering fruit trees. My other article about Cherry tree identification by leaf can help you with this issue.
In the following, to identify a fruit tree by flower:
first, I compared the flowering fruit trees’ blooms based on my observations. I hope it can help you with fruit tree flower identification.
Then, I provided a gallery of flowering fruit trees’ images which can also be helpful. Let’s get going.
Identify A Fruit Tree by Flower: Comparative Table
As you will find below, some flowering fruit trees have similar blooms and you cannot distinguish them based on their flower characteristics.
| Tree | Bloom characteristics to identify a fruit tree by flower | |||||
| Color | Shape | Size | Arrangement | Texture | Fragrance | |
| Apple | Depending on variety: pure white to pale pink or slightly deeper pink hues | · Blooms have five oval or slightly elongated petals
· petals are arranged symmetrically around a central point · petals have gently curved edges |
Small (1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) in diameter) | The Blooms are clustered together along the branches | soft and delicate to the touch, with a velvety texture | Delicate, sweet and fruity |
| Peach | It is often pale pink to a vibrant, rosy hue. Some varieties may exhibit lighter or deeper shades of pink | · Blooms have five round or slightly oval petals
· petals are arranged symmetrically around a central point petals have gently curved edges |
Small (1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) in diameter) | The Blooms are clustered together along the branches | soft and delicate to the touch, with a velvety texture | Delicate, sweet and fruity |
| Pear | white or creamy white | · Blooms have five round or elongated petals
· petals are arranged in a cup-like shape · petals have gently curved edges |
Small (1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) in diameter) | The Blooms are clustered together along the branches | soft and delicate to the touch, with a velvety texture | Sweet, light and pleasant |
| Cherry | pure white to pale pink to deep pink | · Blooms have five round or slightly oval petals
· petals are arranged symmetrically around a central point · Petals have gently curved edges |
small to medium-sized | The Blooms are clustered together along the branches | soft and delicate to the touch, with a velvety texture | sweet and delicate, with hints of almond or vanilla |
| Plum | pure white to soft shades of pink
In some varieties: deeper pink hues |
· Blooms have five round or slightly oval petals
· petals are arranged symmetrically around a central point Petals have gently curved edges |
relatively small (1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm)) | The Blooms are clustered together along the branches | soft and delicate to the touch, with a velvety texture | sweet and delicate, with a subtle floral scent |
| Apricot | Most varieties: soft shades of pink to pale white.
Some varieties: deeper pink hues |
· Blooms have five round or slightly oval petals
· petals are arranged symmetrically around a central point · Petals have gently curved edges |
relatively small (1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm)) | The Blooms are clustered together along the branches | soft and delicate to the touch, with a velvety texture | sweet and mild, with hints of honey and floral notes |
| Persimmon | lack the colorful petals (greenish-yellow) | · urn-shaped and inconspicuous | small | The blooms produce small clusters that emerge from the leaf axils along the branches of the tree | not noticeable to casual observers | They lack the fragrance |
| Pawpaw | Most varieties: rich maroon or deep burgundy color
Some varieties: shades of red, purple, or brown |
· Blooms have three elongated petals.
· Petals are arranged in a triangular shape. · The petals are often twisted or curled. |
Large (around 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) in length) | · solitary
· arranged in small clusters along the branches |
soft and delicate to the touch, with a velvety texture | sweet and tropical fragrance (scent of ripe bananas or mangos) |
| Citrus | white, pale (some varieties deep) pink, light yellow, and creamy orange | · Blooms have five elongated petals
· petals are arranged symmetrically around a central point Petals have gently curved edges |
Small to medium depending on the variety. | Blooms may be arranged singly or in small clusters along the branches | soft and delicate to the touch, with a velvety texture | Sweet, fresh, floral, and citrusy |
| Pomegranate | Most varieties: bright, vibrant shades of orange-red
some varieties: deeper red hues |
· Blooms have five round or slightly oval petals
· petals are arranged symmetrically around a central point Petals have gently curved edges |
relatively small (1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm)) | Blooms may be arranged singly or in small clusters along the branches | soft and delicate to the touch, with a velvety texture | sweet |
| Star fruit tree | Blooms have five narrow and pointed petals
Petals are arranged in a star formation (Star-shaped that reflects the appearance of the fruit) |
Small (1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) in diameter) | The blooms are typically clustered at the ends of branches | soft and papery to the touch, with a velvety or smooth texture | Tropical sweet and pleasant fragrance | |
Fruit Tree Flowers Identification by Picture
Here, I show you the images of flowering fruit trees. you can find their characteristics in the above table.
Apple Bloom
If I want to describe the apple flowers, they have a sense of purity, grace, elegance and charm.
Peach Flowers
These captivating flowers promise a fruitful harvest to come. Do you agree?
Pear Tree Blooms
They offer a delicate charm with their captivating appearance and gentle fragrance.
Cherry Fruit Tree Flowers
Cherry trees bloom with their exquisite beauty and fragrance.
Plum flowering Tree
I always assume the Plum blossoms heralds of spring. I love them with their subtle fragrance.
Apricot Tree Blooms
In the springtime, the Apricot tree blooms can create a sight to behold the promise of delicious fruit coming.
Persimmon Tree Flowers
Although their modest appearance is not immediately noticeable, giving rise to the delicious fruits.
Pawpaw Tree flowers
I think their dark colouration, unique appearance, and tropical charm set them apart from the blossoms of many other fruit trees.
Citrus Blooms
The mixture of their vibrant colors, sweet fragrance, and delicate appearance can charm everyone. I recommend reading my other article about identifying lemon trees by leaf too.
Pomegranate Tree Blooms
You can distinguish them easily by their vibrant colour and unique structure.
Star Fruit Tree Flowers
This tree is also known as the carambola tree, with beautiful blooms that, although not only visually appealing, give it an overall aesthetic appeal, when in full bloom.
Conclusion
I tried to show you how to identify a fruit tree by flower by describing their blooms’ appearance and comparing their pictures. Now, you can easily distinguish some fruit trees such as Persimmon, Pawpaw, Citrus, Pomegranate, and Star fruit trees. However, to Identify some flowering fruit trees such as Apple, Peach, Pear, Cherry, Plum, and Apricot, their bloom appearance isn’t sufficient and you must consider other features such as leaf shape, bark, growth habit and the shape of canopy. I recommend reading my other post “Growing indoor fruit trees in low-light“. It will help you to have your indoor garden even in a dim house.
Elahe Rabiei
Hi, I’m Elaheh. My Academic major is plant protection, and houseplants are my expertise. As a houseplant lover, my house is full of indoor plants and it is my passion to take care of them. Hence, I’m here to share my knowledge and experience about growing healthy houseplants. I am also a plant protection advisor, so feel free to ask me any questions you may have.