The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 letter word PEAR
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
P
E
A
R
More clues leading to the result PEAR
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "type of fruit tree" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case type of fruit tree = pear.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does PEAR mean?
PEAR noun- An edible fruit produced by the pear tree, similar to an apple but elongated towards the stem.
- A type of fruit tree (Pyrus communis).
- The wood of the pear tree (pearwood, pear wood).
- Choke pear (a torture device).
- Avocado, alligator pear
- A desaturated chartreuse yellow colour, like that of a pear.