Autumn / Fall Produce Index
Peak supermarket harvest window: September – November
Acorn Squash
Abundantly available in grocery stores throughout autumn and winter (September through February).
Apple
In northern temperate regions, local apple harvest peaks from September through November. In Europe, local harvest usually runs from August through November. Stores carry apples year-round because controlled-atmosphere storage extends domestic fruit deep into spring, with counter-seasonal imports filling late-spring and summer gaps.
Artichoke
Peak harvest occurs in spring (March to May) with a smaller secondary autumn flush (September to October).
Avocado
Available year-round in North American grocery stores, primarily sourced from Mexico. California-grown Hass peaks March-September. Fuerte is more seasonal, peaking November-February.
Banana
In tropical regions, bananas are harvested year-round with no true off-season. In North America and Europe, grocery supply is also year-round via imports.
Beet
Available year-round. Peak season for sweet, tender local field beets runs from mid-summer through late autumn.
Bell Pepper
Available year-round via greenhouse cultivation. Field-grown domestic bell peppers peak from July through October.
Bitter Melon
A hot-weather vine that peaks in Summer and early Autumn; imports keep it available most of the year in Asian markets.
Blackberry
Local season peaks June-September across most of North America. Available year-round in grocery stores via imports from Mexico and Chile from October through May.
Blueberry
In northern temperate regions, local blueberry harvest peaks from June through August. In Europe, local harvest usually runs from June through September. Stores carry blueberries year-round, with off-season imports from Peru, Chile, Morocco, and Mexico covering winter and spring gaps.
Bok Choy
A cool-season crop with peaks in Spring and Autumn; staggered plantings and greenhouses keep it on shelves all year.
Broccoli
Available in supermarkets year-round. Peak season runs through autumn, winter, and early spring when cool weather produces the sweetest, tightest heads.
Brussels Sprouts
Supermarkets carry sprouts year-round. Peak season runs from September through February, when cold autumn and winter frosts concentrate sugars.
Butternut Squash
Cured winter squash is available year-round. Peak harvest and sweetest flavor occur from September through February.
Cabbage
Abundantly available year-round. Peak harvest for sweet, crisp heads occurs in autumn and winter through the first hard frosts.
Cantaloupe
Peak season is June through August in North America.
Carrot
Available in supermarkets year-round. Peak harvest for sweet, crisp field carrots occurs in late autumn through winter when cold temperatures convert starches to sugars.
Cauliflower
Supermarkets stock cauliflower year-round. Peak quality, sweetness, and head density happen in cool autumn and winter months.
Celery
Stalk celery is produced year-round in coastal valleys. Peak quality and sweetness occur from autumn through early spring.
Swiss Chard
Available year-round in supermarkets. Thrives in cool weather with peak harvest and sweetness in spring through late autumn.
Coconut
In tropical climates, coconuts are available year-round with no true off-season. In North America and Europe, mature brown coconuts and packaged coconut products are imported year-round.
Cranberry
Fresh cranberries are harvested September through November and are a quintessential fall fruit in North America. Dried and juiced cranberries are available year-round.
Cucumber
Greenhouse English and Persian cucumbers are abundant year-round. Field-grown cucumbers peak during warm summer months from June through September.
Dragonfruit
Available year-round in tropical regions like Southeast Asia; peak season in North America is typically June through September.
Edamame
Peak fresh harvest occurs in mid-to-late summer (July to September); flash-frozen pods are available year-round with near-identical quality.
Eggplant
Peak season runs from mid-summer through autumn (July to October) in temperate zones; available year-round from greenhouse and warm imports.
Fig
In California, figs have a brief first crop in June and July and a main crop from August through October. Across most other northern-temperate regions, fresh figs are mainly a late-summer fruit.
Gai Lan
A cool-season crop that peaks from Autumn through early Spring; greenhouse and desert growing keeps it on shelves year-round.
Garlic
Cured dry garlic heads are available year-round. Freshly harvested 'wet garlic' (softneck/hardneck) peaks in mid-summer from June to August.
Ginger
Mature cured ginger rhizomes are available in supermarkets year-round. Tender pink-tipped 'young ginger' (Shin-shoga) appears in Asian specialty markets in late spring and early autumn.
Gobo
Young gobo harvested in early summer (Shin-gobo) is tender and mild; autumn and winter harvests yield earthier, deeply flavorful mature roots.
Grape
Peak season is August through October in North America; imports available year-round.
Grapefruit
Peak season is November through June in North America.
Green Bean
Available year-round in grocery stores. Peak domestic harvest for tender, crisp pods occurs in summer from June through September.
Guava
Available year-round in tropical regions; in North America, peak imported availability runs from late summer through winter via Mexico and Central America.
Honeydew
Peak season is June through October in the Northern Hemisphere.
Jackfruit
Year-round in tropical growing regions. In the US, green canned jackfruit is available year-round; fresh ripe jackfruit is sporadic in Asian grocery stores.
Jalapeño
Widely available year-round from Mexican imports and domestic greenhouses. Field harvests peak in mid-summer through autumn.
Jicama
Harvested in autumn and winter; stored tubers keep shelves stocked year-round.
Kabocha
Harvested in late summer through autumn; stores exceptionally well through late winter.
Kale
Abundantly available year-round. Peak sweetness and tenderness occur after autumn and winter frosts, which convert plant starches into natural sugars.
Kiwifruit
Available year-round due to imports from different hemispheres.
Kohlrabi
A cool-weather brassica with peak harvests in late spring and autumn.
Kumquat
Peak season is November through March in the Northern Hemisphere, making them a classic winter citrus.
Leek
Available year-round. Peak season runs from autumn through early spring when cool weather produces thick, sweet shanks.
Lemon
Available year-round as trees produce fruit continuously in subtropical climates.
Lime
Available year-round in tropical and subtropical regions.
Longan
Peak season is July through October in subtropical Asia and Florida. Available year-round in Asian grocery stores (fresh in season, canned or dried year-round).
Lotus Root
Harvested from ponds in Autumn and Winter, when the rhizome is fattest and starchiest; sold year-round from cold storage.
Mandarin
In North America and Europe, peak season runs from October through April, making mandarins a classic winter citrus. Clementines arrive first in November, Satsumas overlap, and W. Murcotts and Tangelos stretch the season into spring.
Mango
In tropical regions, mango harvests rotate through the year. In North America and Europe, grocery availability stays year-round through imports from different hemispheres.
Mangosteen
Main harvest typically aligns with the monsoon season in Southeast Asia.
Mushroom
Grown indoors under strictly monitored environmental controls; consistently fresh and available 365 days a year.
Napa Cabbage
A cold-weather crop that peaks from Autumn into Winter, when frost sweetens the head; cold storage keeps it available year-round.
Nectarine
Peak season is May through September in the Northern Hemisphere.
Okra
Peak harvest thrives in hot mid-to-late summer months (June through September).
Onion
Available year-round. Fresh spring/summer sweet onions arrive March through August; cured storage storage onions peak during autumn and winter harvests.
Orange
Available year-round as trees produce fruit continuously in subtropical climates.
Papaya
In tropical regions, papayas are available year-round with no sharp off-season. In North America and Europe, stores usually carry them year-round through imports.
Parsnip
Available throughout autumn and winter. Peak sweetness occurs after severe winter ground freezes convert root starches into rich, natural sugars.
Passionfruit
In tropical climates, passionfruit can be harvested year-round with multiple flushes per year. In North America and Europe, it is usually available year-round through imports.
Peach
Peak season is June through August in the Northern Hemisphere.
Pear
In northern temperate regions, local pear harvest usually peaks from August through October. In Europe, local harvest often extends from August through November. Pears still show up year-round in many stores, but they rely on storage and a stronger late-winter through spring import pipeline than apples because pears do not hold as long in storage.
Persimmon
In North America and East Asia, peak season runs from October through December.
Plum
In northern temperate regions and Europe, local plum harvest usually runs from July through October. Plums remain available year-round in many major groceries, with South Africa and Chile covering the Northern Hemisphere winter and spring gap.
Pomegranate
Peak season is September through January in the Northern Hemisphere.
Pomelo
Peak season is late autumn through winter in the Northern Hemisphere, coinciding with the Lunar New Year when pomelos are a traditional gift. Available in Asian grocery stores year-round.
Potato
Harvested late summer through autumn; stored under controlled conditions for year-round availability.
Quince
In northern temperate regions, quince is a late-autumn crop that peaks from October through December. Grocery availability is limited compared with apples or pears, so quince is usually a specialty-market fruit, with small off-season imported volumes appearing mainly in spring.
Radish
Peaks in Spring (April-June) and Autumn (September-November) in Northern Temperate zones.
Rambutan
Peak season in Southeast Asia is May through September. Available in Asian grocery stores in the US year-round (often canned) with occasional fresh availability.
Raspberry
In northern temperate regions, local raspberry harvest peaks from June through September. In Europe, local harvest often extends from June through September. Fresh raspberries still appear year-round in many stores, but the off-season depends on tightly managed imports from Mexico, Chile, Portugal, and Morocco.
Red Onion
Storage red onions are available 365 days a year. Fresh seasonal field harvests peak from late spring through early autumn.
Rutabaga
Available year-round. Peak harvest and sweetest flavor occur in late autumn and winter after cold frosts convert starches into sugars.
Scallion
Available fresh in supermarkets 52 weeks a year thanks to continuous seasonal harvests in Mexico and the American Southwest.
Shallot
Properly cured dry shallots are available year-round. New-crop harvests arrive in late summer and early autumn.
Spaghetti Squash
Cured winter squash is available year-round. Peak season runs from September through February.
Spinach
Packaged baby spinach is available year-round. Field-grown bunched spinach thrives in cool weather and peaks in spring and autumn.
Starfruit
Available year-round in tropical regions; in tropical Asia and Latin America, peak harvests usually cluster in late summer and autumn.
Sweet Potato
Harvested in autumn; cured tubers are available year-round with peak quality in autumn and winter.
Taro
Harvested year-round in tropical climates; peak availability in North American and Asian markets spans autumn through winter.
Tomato
In northern temperate regions, open-field tomato season peaks from June through August. In Europe, local field-grown tomatoes usually run from June through October. Tomatoes are still a year-round staple because greenhouse production and winter imports keep stores stocked, with Morocco and Senegal especially important for Europe and Mexico dominating U.S. winter supply.
Turnip
Available year-round in grocery stores. Peak quality and sweetness occur from autumn through winter.
Watermelon
Peak season is June through August in North America.
Winter Melon
Harvested in late summer and autumn, but famous for its long shelf life through winter. Available year-round in Asian produce markets.
Yu Choy
A fast-growing cool-season green that peaks in Autumn and Spring; available year-round from staggered plantings.
Zucchini
Widely available in supermarkets year-round. Peak harvest season for sweet, tender garden zucchini runs from June through September.