you wouldn't happen to have a picture, would you?

Sounds maybe like cherry. Is the bark a shiny reddish-brown with little white stripes? My tree lost its leaves pretty early last year, I think in August. I think this is because the fruiting cycle ends for cherries in July, or earlier if you have hot weather like in California.

I'm thinking maybe Persimmon or something in the Annonaceae family,but it's totally guessing.
Yes,a picture will most likely be helpful. Brady

Hi, it's not a cherry, the growing green fruits are already larger than any cherry I've seen. Also cherries don't all grow together at the tip of a single upright stem, cherries have individual hanging stems. This looks like some exotic that grows in very dry natural conditions, possibly a fig, does this description resemble any fig species? All the local cherries, nectarines and peaches stil have branches full of dark green leaves that will be around for months to come, this tree always loses its leaves by the end of June. It might not be a commonly grown fruit tree even for this area which seems to have every citrus and other fruit tree species that could possibly survive in this climate (which is a lot as long as you water them). Everyone please read my detailed opening description and think about possible exotics, one more thing, the person remembers being told when the fruit is ripe it turns brownish and they look like a bunch of flattened potatoes stuck to a stick! This has to ring a bell with somebody, it's just too unusual not to be readily recognizable. If you have any questions I'll try my best to help, guessing is free, at least if you give me species to look up I'll instantly be able to tell if it's the same tree. Thanks.

Pawpaw?