In the early years of Sahuaro Ranch, fruits and nuts were its most important crops because their high prices made them profitable despite the high cost of shipping from a remote location. The first trees planted there were figs and dates, soon followed by olives, apricots, peaches, almonds, and oranges. By 1891, according to a Phoenix newspaper, Sahuaro Ranch had the largest fig orchard in the United States. Over time, as on many Arizona farms, fruits and nuts became less important as the ranch's owners raised more citrus and cattle. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, most of the olive trees were removed, a pecan grove was planted, and the acreage devoted to oranges and grapefruit was greatly increased. Some of the date palms near the Main House were planted in 1891, making this one of the oldest date groves in Arizona. Most of the citrus trees were planted starting in the late 1920s, while the apricot, peach, and fig trees north of the Fruit Packing Shed were planted in recent years. In 1890, some of the ranch's first orange trees were planted, and Sahuaro Ranch was one of the first places in the Phoenix area where farmers experimented with growing citrus.