Spring Produce Index
Peak supermarket harvest window: March – May
Apricot
Short season, peaking May through July in North America.
Artichoke
Peak harvest occurs in spring (March to May) with a smaller secondary autumn flush (September to October).
Arugula
Packaged baby arugula is available year-round. Field-grown bunches thrive in cool spring and autumn weather; hot summer temperatures cause plants to bolt and turn intensely bitter.
Asparagus
Peak local harvest occurs in mid to late spring (April through June); imported spears keep shelves stocked year-round.
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.
Bamboo Shoot
Spring bamboo shoots (Takenoko) harvested in April are prized for tenderness; winter shoots (Kan-takenoko) dug from under soil in December are dense and sweet.
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.
Blood Orange
Winter to early spring specialty; cold desert nights are essential to trigger rich anthocyanin ruby-red pigmentation in the pulp.
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.
Broccolini
Available year-round in supermarkets due to staggered coastal California and Arizona plantings, with peak flavor and sweetness from autumn through spring.
Cabbage
Abundantly available year-round. Peak harvest for sweet, crisp heads occurs in autumn and winter through the first hard frosts.
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.
Celtuce
Cool-season vegetable peaking in late autumn, winter, and early spring; available year-round in Asian specialty grocers.
Swiss Chard
Available year-round in supermarkets. Thrives in cool weather with peak harvest and sweetness in spring through late autumn.
Cherimoya
Peak winter-to-spring availability in California and Spain (November through May); Chilean imports bridge the summer months (July through October).
Cherry
Short season, peaking June and July in North America.
Chinese Radish
Peak harvest runs from late autumn through winter (October to March) when cooler temperatures trigger sugar concentration in the roots.
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.
Durian
Peak season in Southeast Asia runs from May through August.
Fennel
Cool-season crop with peak harvest and sweetest flavor from late autumn through early spring (October through April).
Gai Lan
A cool-season crop that peaks from Autumn through early Spring; greenhouse and desert growing keeps it on shelves year-round.
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.
Grapefruit
Peak season is November through June in North America.
Guava
Available year-round in tropical regions; in North America, peak imported availability runs from late summer through winter via Mexico and Central America.
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.
Jicama
Harvested in autumn and winter; stored tubers keep shelves stocked year-round.
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.
Loquat
A fleeting spring delicacy with a brief harvest window; peak availability runs from April through June in California and the Mediterranean.
Lychee
Short summer season, peaking May through July in the Northern Hemisphere.
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.
Nectarine
Peak season is May through September in the Northern Hemisphere.
Ong Choy
A warm-season semi-aquatic crop peaking from late spring through early autumn; greenhouse cultivation provides steady year-round supply in Asian markets.
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.
Pineapple
In tropical regions, pineapples are harvested year-round. In North America and Europe, grocery availability is also year-round through imports.
Radicchio
Thrives in cold weather; autumn and winter frosts sweeten the leaves by converting starches into simple sugars.
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.
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.
Sugar Snap Pea
Available year-round with imports; peak local spring harvests run from April through June in temperate climates.
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.
Strawberry
In northern temperate regions, local strawberry harvest peaks from May through August. Europe follows a similar late-spring through summer window. Stores carry strawberries year-round, with winter supply coming from Mexico and Florida in North America and from Spain, Morocco, and Egypt in Europe.
Tamarind
Pods mature in winter and spring; naturally shelf-stable whole pods and blocks are available year-round in international markets.
Turnip
Available year-round in grocery stores. Peak quality and sweetness occur from autumn through winter.
Watercress
Hydroponically grown year-round; spring-fed field watercress peaks during cool spring and autumn weather from April through October.
Yellow Onion
Properly cured yellow storage onions are available 52 weeks a year. Sweet Vidalia and Walla Walla onions peak in spring and early summer.
Yu Choy
A fast-growing cool-season green that peaks in Autumn and Spring; available year-round from staggered plantings.