• Houston, Texas sits squarely in zone 9a -- which experiences, at most, cold temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees Fahrenheit -- of the US plant hardiness map and there are many fruit trees that can handle what little cold weather they have and thrive. Fruit trees, while they provide a bounty of home grown goodness, are also ornamentals that are worthy of your landscape.
  
  

Figs

• you'll get two crops of figs each year with most varieties of fig trees.figs image by hazel proudlove from Fotolia.com
  
  Choose a fig tree for your Houston garden but be ready for a tree that can grow as tall as 10 feet high and wide depending on which variety you choose. The good news is that fig trees can be pruned to whatever height and width you desire and are easy to care for. They'll lose all their leaves in the fall and prefer not to be in soggy soil. Figs trees in Houston do best of they're planted in the winter.
  
  Plant the tree only to the depth of the pot it's in when you brought it home and use existing soil from the hole you dug without adding extra potting or garden soil. Water it well and keep watering for two to three days after planting unless it has rained.
  
  After you've seen figs form on the tree keep an eye out for ripeness. The fruit ripens quickly and must be picked before the birds get to it.
  
  

Persimmons

• Use persimmon fruit in a pudding.fruit of persimmon image by Paola Fontana from Fotolia.com
  
  Opt for this easy to grow and care for fruit tree in your Houston garden that suffers from no diseases. The only predators you'll have with a persimmon tree are birds. While the size of your persimmon tree will vary with the variety you choose, all persimmon trees like full sun and well drained soil. They will not thrive if left in standing water. Persimmons are one type of fruit tree that can easily withstand some freezing temperatures without suffering any ill consequences.
  
  Plant in January or February with eight to 10 feet of space between it and other trees. The persimmon will stretch out to about five to six feet across. Create a hole for the tree that has enough width and depth to handle the root ball and stretch the roots out before covering with soil. No amendments are needed when planting; just the original soil from the hole. Water it well and then continue to water for two to three days after planting unless it has rained.
  
  You won't have fruit from your persimmon tree until the second year. Before harvesting leave the fruit on the tree until it turns bright orange.
  
  

Guavas

• Select a guava tree as a welcome small tree to your garden in Houston. Guavas thrive best in southern Houston and are not cold tolerant. Keep them in their pots until March or April and bring the trees in if there's any sign of frost. Guavas are a variety that can be grown in a pot (up to 15 gallons) or in the ground. It likes full sun and well drained soil. During the fruiting and blooming season guavas like to be watered deeply and fertilized. If you want you can prune your guava tree to a short bush.
  
  Let the fruit ripen on the tree. you'll notice a distinct change in color and smell when it's ripened.