Fruit second. Exotic fruits: photo, names and description

Litchi (Litchi, Chinese plum, Litchi).

Round red fruit, up to 4 cm in diameter. Wonderful, delicious fruit. It has one bone in the middle. Look like Longon in shape, texture and stone, but with a richer taste and aroma. Very juicy, sweet, sometimes sour. The peel is easily separated from the white-transparent pulp.

Unfortunately, fresh Lychee can not be consumed all year round: the Lychee harvest season begins in May and lasts until the end of July. During the rest of the year it is almost impossible to find it.

During the off-season in Asia, canned lychees can be purchased in jars or plastic bags in their own juice or coconut milk.

Ripe fruits keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can freeze and store in the freezer for up to 3 months peeled fruits.

Lychee contains many proteins, pectins, potassium, magnesium and vitamin C. A very high content of nicotinic acid - vitamin PP, which actively prevents the development of atherosclerosis. The widespread prevalence of Lychee in the countries of Southeast Asia is the reason for the low level of atherosclerosis in this region.

Rambutan

Rambutan (Rambutan, Ngo, "hairy fruit").

Round fruits of red color, up to 5 cm in diameter, covered with soft processes like thorns. The pulp covering the stone is a transparent white elastic mass, with a pleasant sweet taste, sometimes with a sour tint. The stone is quite tightly connected to the pulp, and is edible.

Contains carbohydrates, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, nicotinic acid and vitamin C. Fruits have a short shelf life - up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Harvest season: May to October.

It is cleaned by cutting the peel with a knife, or without using a knife, as if twisting the fruit in the middle.

Rambutan is eaten fresh, cooked jams and jellies, canned.

mangosteen

Mangosteen (Mangosteen, mangosteen, mangosteen, garcinia, mankut).

The fruits are about the size of a small dark apple. purple. Beneath the thick, inedible skin is the edible pulp in the form of garlic cloves. The pulp is sweet with sourness, very tasty, not like anything else. Generally pitted, although some fruits have small, soft pits that can be eaten.

Sometimes there are sick fruits of Mangosteen, with a dark creamy, sticky and unpleasant-tasting pulp. Such fruits cannot be identified until you peel them.

The harvest season is from April to September.

Natural biologically active substances contained in mangosteen reduce inflammatory reactions: swelling, soreness, redness, high temperature.

Eye of the Dragon

Dragon's eye (pitahaya, pitaya, moon yang, dragon fruit, pitaya).

These are the fruits of a cactus. The dragon's eye is the Russian version of the name of this fruit. The international name is Dragon Fruit.

Rather large, oblong fruits (palm-sized) red, pink or yellow on the outside. Inside the pulp is white or red, dotted with small black seeds. The pulp is very tender, juicy, slightly sweet, with an unexpressed taste. It is convenient to eat with a spoon, scooping out the pulp from the fruit cut in half.

The dragon's eye is useful for stomach pains, diabetes or other endocrine disease.

The harvest seasons are all year round.

durian

King of fruits. The fruits are very large: up to 8 kilograms.

A fruit famous all over the world for its smell. Almost everyone has heard of it, some have smelled it, and very few have tasted it. Its smell is reminiscent of the smell of onions, garlic and worn socks. With this fruit, because of its smell, it is even forbidden to enter hotels, transport and other public places. To remind you of the ban in Thailand, for example, they hang out signs with a crossed-out image of a fruit.

The sweet pulp of the fruit has a very delicate texture, and does not at all correspond to an unpleasant odor. You should try this fruit, if only for the reason that many have heard about it, but few dare to try it. But in vain. The taste is very pleasant, and the fruit itself is considered the most valuable fruit in Asia. It is very high in calories and healthy. Durian also has a reputation as a powerful aphrodisiac.

Sold cut (into slices) and packed in polyethylene. In supermarkets, you can find very interesting sweets with the taste and smell of Durian.

Sala

Sala (salak, rakum, snake fruit, snake fruit, sala)

Oblong or round fruits of small size (about 5 cm long) red (Rakum) or brown (Salak) in color, covered with dense small spines.

Fruit with a very unusual, bright sweet-sour taste. Someone reminds a persimmon, someone a pear. It is worth trying at least once, and then how you like it ...

You should be careful when peeling the fruit: the spines are very dense and dig into the skin. It's better to use a knife.

The season is from April to June.

Carambola (Starfruit, Kamrak, Ma Phyak, Carambola, Star-fruit).

"Star of the tropics" - in the context of the shape we represent an asterisk.

Fruit with an edible peel, eaten whole (there are small seeds inside). The main advantage is a pleasant smell and juiciness. The taste is not particularly distinguished by anything - slightly sweet or sweet and sour, somewhat reminiscent of eating apples. Sufficiently juicy fruit and perfectly quenches thirst.

Sold all year round.

People with severe kidney failures are not recommended to consume Carambola.

Longan (Lam-yai, Dragon's Eye).

Small fruits, similar to small potatoes, covered with a thin inedible skin and one inedible bone inside.

The pulp of Longan is very juicy, has a sweet, very aromatic, taste with a peculiar touch.

The season is from July to September.

Longkong/Langsat

Longkong (Longan, Longcon, Langsat, Lonngkong, Langsat).

Longkong fruits, like Longan, are similar to small potatoes, but are slightly larger in size and have a yellowish tint. It is possible to distinguish Longan if you peel the fruit from the peel: peeled, it looks like garlic.

They have an interesting sweet and sour taste. Fruits Rich in calcium, phosphorus, carbohydrates and vitamin C. The burnt skin of the Longkong gives off a fragrant smell that is not only pleasant, but also beneficial, as it serves as an excellent repellant.

Fresh fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 4-5 days. The skin of a ripe fruit should be dense, without cracks, otherwise the fruit will quickly deteriorate.

The season is from April to June.

Sometimes a variety is also sold - Langsat, which looks no different, but has a slightly bitter taste.

Jackfruit (Eve, Khanoon, Jackfruit, Nangka, Indian Breadfruit).

Jackfruit fruits are the largest fruits growing on trees: their weight reaches 34 kg. Inside the fruit are several large sweet yellow slices of edible pulp. These slices are sold already peeled, because you yourself cannot cope with this giant.

The pulp has a sugary-sweet taste, reminiscent of melon and marshmallow. It is very nutritious: they contain about 40% carbohydrates (starch) - more than in bread.

The season is from January to August.

You can take the risk of bringing such a monster home as a whole, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. But it is better to buy chopped and packed slices of pulp.

Important! Some people have an unhealthy reaction in the throat after eating Jackfruit - spasms, it becomes difficult to swallow. Everything usually passes in an hour or two. Maybe it's an allergic reaction. Be careful.

Pineapple (Pineapple).

Pineapple fruits do not need special comments.

It should only be noted that Pineapples bought in Asia and Pineapples bought in Russia are completely different things. Pineapples in Russia are a pathetic imitation of real Pineapples that you can taste in their homeland.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the Thai Pineapple - it is considered the most delicious in the world. You should definitely try it and be sure to bring it home with you to pamper your loved ones. For consumption on the spot, it is better to buy already peeled.

Pineapple season - all year round

Mango (Mango).

According to some estimates, Mango is considered the most delicious fruit in the world.

Mango is quite widely known and sold in Russia. However, the taste and aroma of Mango in its homeland is very different from what is sold in our stores. In Asia, its fruits are much more fragrant, juicier, and the taste is more intense. And indeed, when you eat a fresh, ripe mango grown, for example, in Thailand it seems that there is nothing tastier.

The fruit is covered with an inedible peel that does not separate from the pulp: it must be cut into a thin layer with a knife. Inside the fruit there is a rather large, flat bone, from which the pulp also does not calve, and it must be separated from the stone with a knife, or simply eaten.

The color of the Mango varies from green to yellow (sometimes to yellow-orange or red) depending on the degree of maturity. For consumption on the spot, it is better to buy the most ripe - yellow or orange fruits. Without a refrigerator, such fruits can be stored for up to 5 days, in a refrigerator for up to 30 days, unless of course they were stored somewhere else before.

If you want to bring several fruits home, then you can buy fruits of medium maturity, greenish in color. They keep well and ripen on the road or already at home.

noina

Noina (Sugar apple, Annona scaly, sugar-apple, sweetsop, noi-na).

Another unusual fruit that has no analogues and does not look like any of the fruits we are used to. Noina fruits are the size of large apple, green, bumpy.

Inside the fruit there is a sweet fragrant pulp and many small hard seeds.

It is very inconvenient to clean due to the bumpy skin. If the fruit is ripe, then the pulp can be eaten with a spoon, after cutting the fruit in half.

The fruit is rich in vitamin C, amino acids and calcium.

The season is from June to September.

Sweet Tamarind

Sweet Tamarind (Sweet Tamarind, Indian date).

Tamarind is considered a spice of the legume family, but is also used as an ordinary fruit. Fruits up to 15 centimeters long have an irregular curved shape. There is also a variety of Tamarind - green Tamarind.

Under the hard brown peel, resembling a shell, there is a brown pulp, sweet and sour with a tart taste. Be careful - inside Tamarind there are large hard bones.

By soaking tamarind in water and grinding through a sieve, juice is obtained. Sweets are made from ripe dried tamarind. You can buy in the store and bring home a wonderful tamarind sauce for meat and sweet tamarind syrup (for making cocktails.

This fruit is rich in vitamin A, organic acids and complex sugars. Tamarind is also used as a laxative.

The season is from October to February.

American Mammea (Mammea americana).

This fruit, also known as the American apricot and Antillean apricot, comes from South America, although it can now be found in almost all tropical countries.

This fruit, which is actually a berry, is quite large, growing up to 20 centimeters in diameter. Inside there is one large or several (up to four) smaller bones. The pulp is very tasty and fragrant, and, in accordance with its second name, tastes and smells like apricot and mango.

The ripening season is different depending on the region, but mainly from May to August.

Cherimoya (Annona cherimola).

Cherimoya is also known as Cream Apple and Ice Cream Tree. In some countries, the fruit is generally known under completely different names: in Brazil - Graviola, in Mexico - Roox, in Guatemala - Pac or Tzumux, in El Salvador - Anona poshte, in Belize - Tukib, in Haiti - Cachiman la Chine, in the Philippines - Atis , on Cook Island - Sasalapa. The birthplace of the fruit is South America, but it can be found in the countries of Asia and South Africa that are warm all year round, as well as in Australia, Spain, Israel, Portugal, Italy, Egypt, Libya and Algeria. However, in these countries the fruit is rare. It is most common on the American continent.

It is rather difficult to recognize the fruit of Cherimoyya at the first inexperienced glance, since there are several types of it with different surfaces (lumpy, smooth or mixed). One of the tuberculate varieties, including Noina (see above), which is widespread in the countries of Southeast Asia. The size of the fruit is 10-20 centimeters in diameter, and the shape of the cut fruit resembles a heart. The pulp resembles an orange in texture and is usually eaten with a spoon, very tasty and tastes like banana and passion fruit, papaya and pineapple, and strawberries with cream at once. The pulp contains very hard pits the size of a pea, so be careful, otherwise you may be left without a tooth. It is usually sold a little underripe and firm and must lie down (2-3 days) before getting its real amazing taste and texture.

The ripening season is usually from February to April.

Noni (Noni, Morinda citrifolia).

This fruit is also known as Big Moringa, Indian Mulberry, Healthy Tree, Cheese Fruit, Nonu, Nono. The homeland of the fruit is Southeast Asia, but now it grows in all tropical countries.

The Noni fruit resembles a large potato in shape and size. Noni cannot be called very tasty and fragrant, and, apparently, that is why tourists very rarely come across it. Ripe fruits have an unpleasant smell (reminiscent of the smell of moldy cheese) and a bitter taste, but are considered very useful. In some regions, noni is a staple food for the poor. It is usually consumed with salt. Noni juice is also popular.

Noni bears fruit all year round. But you can find it not in every fruit market, but, as a rule, in the markets for local residents.

Marula (Marula, Sclerocarya birrea).

This fruit grows exclusively on the African continent. And it is not easy to find it fresh for sale in other regions. The thing is that after ripening, the fruits almost immediately begin to ferment inside, turning into a low-alcohol drink. This property of marula is enjoyed not only by the inhabitants of Africa, but also by animals. After eating marula fruits that have fallen to the ground, they are often "drunk".

Ripe Marula fruits are yellow in color. The size of the fruit is about 4 cm in diameter, and inside is white pulp and a hard stone. Marula does not have an outstanding taste, but its flesh is very juicy and has a pleasant aroma until it starts to ferment. The pulp also contains a huge amount of vitamin C.

The harvest season of Marula takes place in March-April.

Wonderful Platonia (Platonia insignis)

Platonia grows only in the countries of South America. It is impossible to find it in the countries of Southeast Asia.

Platonia fruits are up to 12 centimeters in size, with a large thick peel. Under the peel there is a white tender pulp with a sweet and sour taste and several large seeds.

Kumquat (Kumquat)

Kumquat is also known as Fortunella, Kinkan, Japanese oranges. This is a citrus plant. It grows in southern China, but is also widely distributed in other tropical countries. Kumquat fruits can also be found on the shelves of our stores, but the taste is not at all what you can try at home in the freshest form.

Kumquat fruits are small (from 2 to 4 centimeters), similar to small oblong oranges or tangerines. Outside covered with a very thin edible peel, inside and in structure and taste almost the same as an orange, maybe a little more sour and bitter. Eaten whole (except bones).

The ripening season is from May to June, you can buy all year round.

Guava (Guajava)

Guava (Guajava), Guava or Guava is found in almost all tropical and subtropical countries. Despite the fact that the fruit is considered exotic, you should not expect an exotic taste from it: a rather mediocre, slightly sweet taste reminiscent of a pear. It may be worth trying once, but you are unlikely to become a fan of it. Another thing is the aroma: it is quite pleasant and very strong. In addition, the fruit is very useful, rich in vitamin C and perfectly raises the overall tone of the body and improves health.

Fruits come in various sizes (from 4 to 15 centimeters), round, oblong and pear-shaped. Skin, pits and pulp, all edible.

Passion Fruit/Passion Fruit

This exotic fruit is also called the Passion Fruit, Passiflora (Passiflora), Edible Passion Flower, Granadilla. Homeland is South America, but can be found in most tropical countries, including the countries of Southeast Asia. Passion Fruit got its second name because it is credited with the properties of a strong aphrodisiac.

Passion fruits have a smooth, slightly elongated round shape, up to 8 cm in diameter. Ripe fruits have a very bright juicy color and are yellow, purple, pink or red. The yellow fruits are less sweet than the others. The pulp also comes in a variety of colors. Under the inedible peel is a jelly-like sweet and sour pulp with seeds. You can’t call it especially tasty, juices, jellies, etc. made from it are much tastier.

When used, it is most convenient to cut the fruit in half and eat the pulp with a spoon. The bones in the pulp are also edible, but they cause drowsiness, so it is better not to abuse them. Passion fruit juice, by the way, also has a calming effect and causes drowsiness. The most ripe and delicious fruits are those whose skin is not perfectly smooth, but covered with "wrinkles" or small "dents" (these are the most ripe fruits).

The ripening season is from May to August. Passion fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for one week.

Avocado

Avocados are also called Perseus Americana and Alligator Pear. Avocado is considered to be a fruit. It may be scientifically true, but it tastes more like a vegetable.

Avocado fruits are pear-shaped, up to 20 centimeters long. Covered with a tasteless and inedible peel. Inside there is a dense pulp like a pear and one large bone. The flesh tastes like an unripe pear or pumpkin and is nothing special. Avocados are more commonly used for cooking than for eating raw. So do not chase to be sure to try this fruit. But dishes prepared with Avocado can be very varied. festive table. On the Internet you can find many recipes for avocado dishes, including salads, soups, main courses, but on vacation you are unlikely to need all this, so you can not look at Avocado.

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis, breadfruit, pana)

Don't confuse breadfruit with jackfruit. The jackfruit, although known as the Indian breadfruit, is actually a completely different fruit.

Breadfruit can be found in all tropical regions, but mainly in the countries of Southeast Asia and Oceania. Due to the very high yield of Breadfruit, its fruits are in some countries the main product of kicking, like our potatoes, for example.

Breadfruit fruits are rounded, very large, can reach 30 centimeters in diameter and four kilograms of weight. In its raw form, like a fruit, ripe fruits are consumed, and unripe fruits are used as vegetables in cooking. It is better to buy ripe fruits on vacation, and even better already cut into portions, because. you can hardly cut and eat the whole fruit. In a ripe fruit, the pulp becomes soft and slightly sweet, it tastes like a banana and a potato. Not to say that the taste is outstanding, and therefore breadfruit is not often found in tourist fruit markets. The taste of bread can only be felt when preparing an unripe fruit.

Breadfruit ripening season, 9 months a year. You can buy fresh fruits all year round.

Jabuticaba (Jabuticaba)

Jaboticaba (Jaboticaba) is also known as the Brazilian grape tree. You can meet it mainly in the countries of South America, but sometimes it is also found in the countries of Southeast Asia.

This is a very interesting, tasty and rare exotic fruit. If you can find it and try it, consider yourself lucky. The fact is that the Jaboticaba tree grows very slowly, which is why it is practically not cultivated.

The way the fruits grow is also interesting: they grow directly on the trunk, and not on the branches of a tree. The fruits are small (up to 4 cm in diameter), dark purple. Under a thin dense peel (inedible) there is a soft jelly-like and very tasty pulp with several seeds.

The tree bears fruit almost all year round.

Kiwano Melon is also known as Horned Melon, African Cucumber, Antilles Cucumber, Horned Cucumber, Anguria. Kiwano really looks like a big cucumber in a section. Although it is a fruit, another question. The fact is that the fruits of Kiwano grow on a vine. It is cultivated mainly in Africa, New Zealand, on the American continent.

Kiwano fruits are oblong, up to 12 centimeters in length. The color is yellow, orange and red depending on the degree of ripening. Under a dense peel, the flesh is green, the taste is somewhat reminiscent of cucumber, banana and melon. The fruit is not peeled, but cut into slices or halves (like a regular melon), and then the pulp is eaten. In raw form, both unripe and unripe fruits are consumed. The unripe fruits can be eaten with the pits as they are soft. Also used with salt.

Magic fruit (Miracle fruit)

Magic fruit grows in West Africa. It does not have an outstanding exotic taste, but it is known and interesting in that after you eat it, for about an hour, all foods will seem sweet to you. The fact is that the Magic Fruit contains a certain protein that blocks for some time the taste buds on the tongue, which are responsible for the sour taste. So you can eat lemon and it will taste sweet to you. True, only fresh plucked fruits have this property, and during storage they quickly lose it. So don't be surprised if the trick doesn't work on purchased fruit.

The fruit grow on small trees or shrubs, have a rounded oblong shape, 2-3 centimeters long, red in color, with a hard bone inside.

The magical fruit bears fruit almost all year round.

Bael (Bael, Aegle marmelos)

Bail is sometimes called the "Stone Apple" because of its peel. Very widespread in Southeast Asia.

Bail fruits are not so easy to find in fruit markets in their entirety. And even if you meet him, you yourself will not cope with him. The fact is that its peel is hard as a stone, and it is impossible to get to the pulp without a hammer or hatchet.

Fruits are round or pear-shaped in diameter up to 20 centimeters. Ripe fruit is yellow. Inside the pulp and a few seeds covered with hairs. The flesh is yellow, fragrant, not too sweet and slightly astringent.

If you can’t taste the fruit fresh (which, in general, you shouldn’t worry about), you can buy tea from the Bail fruits, called Matum. It is a fruit cut into slices and dried. It is believed to be very effective in the treatment colds, bronchial and asthmatic diseases.

The Buddha Hand is a variety of Citron. It is also called Buddha Fingers and Finger Citron.

We decided to mention this very exotic fruit so that you do not try it during your vacation in a tropical paradise. This fruit is not one that you will enjoy the taste of. Undoubtedly, the fruit is very interesting and useful, and when you see it, you will most likely have a desire to try it. But don't rush. It is widely used in cooking, but you are unlikely to eat it. The fruit of the Hand of the Buddha is composed almost entirely of a rind (the pulp is inedible), which is similar to the rind of a lemon in taste (bitter and sour taste) and violet in smell.

The shape of the fruit is very interesting and looks like a palm with big amount fingers up to 40 cm long. You can buy it only in order to bring it home with you as a souvenir, and already at home cook various dishes with citrus flavor from it (compote, jelly, candied fruit).

Only the most timid traveler, finding himself in an exotic country, embarrassed by the appearance, smell or name, will refuse to try some unfamiliar fruit. Accustomed to apples and oranges, tourists can hardly force themselves to bite off a piece of mangosteen, durian or herring. Meanwhile, it is the gastronomic revelation that can become one of the most vivid impressions of the entire trip.

Below are exotic fruits from different countries - with a photo, description and English equivalents of names.

Durian

The fruits of durian - "a fruit with the taste of heaven and the smell of hell" - are irregular oval in shape, with very sharp thorns. Under the skin - viscous pulp with a unique taste. The “king of fruits” has a strong ammonium smell, so strong that durian is forbidden to be transported on airplanes and carried into hotel rooms, as evidenced by the corresponding posters and signs at the entrance. Thailand's most fragrant and most exotic fruit is very rich in vitamins and nutrients.

A few rules for those who want to taste (by no means try!) Durian:

  • Do not try to choose the fruit yourself, especially in the off season. Ask the seller about this, let him cut and pack it in a transparent film. Or find already packaged fruit in the supermarket.
  • Lightly press down on the pulp. It should not be elastic, but easily slip under the fingers, as butter. Elastic pulp already smells unpleasant.
  • It is undesirable to combine with alcohol, since the pulp of durian acts on the body as a stimulant of great power. Thais believe that durian warms the body, and a Thai proverb says that the "heat" of durian can be tempered with the coolness of mangosteen.

Where to try: Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia.

Season: April to September, depending on the region.

Mangosteen

Other names are mangosteen, mangosteen. It is a delicate fruit with thick purple skin and round leaves at the stem. The white flesh resembles a peeled orange and has an indescribable sweet and sour taste. Inside the mangosteen are six or more soft white slices: the more there are, the fewer seeds. To choose the right mangosteen, you need to take the most purple fruits in your hand and gently squeeze: the peel should not be hard, but not very soft either. If the skin breaks unevenly in different places, the fetus is already stale. You can open the fruit by making a hole in the peel with a knife and fingers. Do not try to take the slices with your hands: the pulp is so tender that you just crush it. Handles transportation well.

Where to try: Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, India, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica.

Season:

Jackfruit

Other names are Indian breadfruit, eve. It is a large fruit with thick, spiky, yellow-green skin. The pulp is yellow, sweet, with an unusual smell and taste of a Duchesse pear. The segments are separated from each other and sold in bags. The ripened pulp is eaten fresh, the unripe is cooked. Jackfruit is mixed with other fruits, added to ice cream, coconut milk. The seeds are edible when boiled.

Where to try: Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore.

Season: January to August, depending on the region.

Lychee (Lychee)

Other names are litchi, Chinese plum. The heart-shaped or round fruit grows in clusters. Under the bright red skin is a white transparent pulp, juicy and sweet in taste. In the off-season in Asian countries, these tropical fruits Sold in canned form or in plastic bags.

Where to try: Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Australia, China.

Season: from May to July.

Mango

One of the most popular fruits in all tropical countries. The fruits are large, ovoid, elongated or spherical in shape. The pulp is yellow and orange, juicy, sweet. The smell of mango resembles the aroma of apricot, rose, melon, lemon. Unripe green fruits are also eaten - they are eaten with salt and pepper. It is convenient to peel the fruit with a sharp knife.

Where to try: Philippines, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, China, Pakistan, Mexico, Brazil, Cuba.

Season: year-round; peak in Thailand from March to May, in Vietnam in winter and spring, in Indonesia from September to December.

Papaya

big fruit with yellow-green skin. The cylindrical fruits of exotic fruits reach 20 centimeters in length. Taste is a cross between melon and pumpkin. Ripe papaya has bright orange flesh that is extraordinarily tender and pleasant to eat and aids in digestion. Unripe papaya is added to a spicy Thai salad (som tam), it is fried, and meat is stewed with it.

Where to try: India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bali, Indonesia, Philippines, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia.

Season: all year round.

Longan

Other names are lam-yai, "dragon's eye". It is a round, brown fruit that looks like a small potato. Very sweet and juicy and high in calories. Easily peelable skin covers a transparent white or pink pulp, close in consistency to jelly. In the core of the fruit is a large black bone. Longan is good for health, but you should not eat a lot at once: this will lead to an increase in body temperature.

Where to try: Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China.

Season: mid-June to mid-September.

Rambutan

Rambutan is one of the most famous tropical fruits, which is characterized by "increased hairiness." Under the red fleecy skin lies a white translucent flesh with a sweet taste. To get to it, you need to "twist" the fruit in the middle. The fruits are eaten fresh or canned with sugar. Raw seeds are poisonous, while roasted seeds are harmless. When choosing, you need to be guided by color: the pinker, the better.

Where to try: Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, India, partly Colombia, Ecuador, Cuba.

Season: mid-April to mid-October.

Pitaya

Other names are pitahaya, long yang, "dragon fruit", "dragon fruit". This is the fruit of a cactus from the genus Hylocereus (sweet pitaya). Very beautiful in appearance: bright pink, the size of a large apple, slightly elongated. The peel is covered with large scales, the edges are green. If you remove the skin (as in the case of an orange), inside you can see a dense white, red or purple flesh with many small seeds. Good in fruit cocktails in combination with lime.

Where to try: Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, partially Japan, USA, Australia, Israel.

Season: all year round.

Carambola (Carambola)

Other names are "tropical stars", starfruit, kamrak. Its yellow or green fruits are similar in size and shape to sweet peppers. On the cut, they have the shape of a star - hence the name. Ripe fruits are juicy, with a slight floral taste, not very sweet. Unripe fruits contain a lot of vitamin C. They are good in salads and smoothies, they do not need to be peeled.

Where to try: Borneo island, Thailand, Indonesia.

Season: all year round.

Pomelo

This fruit has a lot of names - pomelo, pamela, pompelmus, Chinese grapefruit, sheddock, etc. The citrus fruit looks like a huge grapefruit with white, pink or yellow pulp, which, however, is much sweeter. It is widely used in cooking and cosmetology. The smell is the best guide when buying: the stronger it is, the more concentrated, rich and fresh the taste of the pomelo will be.

Where to try: Malaysia, China, Japan, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Tahiti, Israel, USA.

Season: all year round.

Guava

Other names are guava, guava. Round, oblong or pear-shaped fruit (4 to 15 centimeters) with white flesh and yellow hard seeds. Edible from skin to bone. When ripe, the fruit turns yellow, and it is eaten with the peel - to improve digestion and stimulate the heart. Unripe, it is eaten like a green mango, sprinkled with spices and salt.

Where to try: Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Egypt, Tunisia.

Season: all year round.

Sapodilla (Sapodilla)

Other names are sapotilla, tree potato, akhra, chicu. A fruit that looks like a kiwi or a plum. The ripe fruit has a milky-caramel taste. Sapodilla can "knit" a little, like a persimmon. Most often it is used for making desserts and salads. Unripe fruits are used in cosmetology and traditional medicine.

Where to try: Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, USA (Hawaii).

Season: from September to December.

Sugar Apple

A very useful pale green fruit. Under the pronouncedly bumpy marsh-green skin, sweet, fragrant flesh and bean-sized seeds are hidden. Aroma with barely perceptible coniferous notes. Ripe fruits are moderately soft to the touch, unripe - hard, overripe falling apart in the hands. Serves as the basis for Thai ice cream.

Where to try: Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia, China.

Season: from June to September.

Chompoo

Other names are rose apple, Malabar plum. It is shaped like a sweet pepper. It comes in both pink and light green. The pulp is white, dense. It is not necessary to clean it, there are no bones. The taste is not particularly distinguished by anything and resembles more slightly sweetened water. But when chilled, these tropical fruits quench their thirst well.

Where to try: India, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Colombia.

Season: all year round.

Aki (Ackee)

Aki, or bligia delicious, is pear-shaped with a red-yellow or orange skin. After full ripening, the fruit bursts, and a creamy pulp with large glossy seeds comes out. These are the most dangerous exotic fruits in the world: unripe (unopened) fruits are highly poisonous due to the high content of toxins. They can only be eaten after special treatment, such as prolonged boiling. Aki tastes like a walnut. In West Africa, soap is made from the skin of the unripe fruit, and the pulp is used to catch fish.

Where to try: USA (Hawaii), Jamaica, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Australia.

Season: January to March and June to August.

Ambarella (Ambarella)

Other names are Cythera apple, yellow plum, Polynesian plum, sweet mombin. Oval fruits of golden color with a thin hard peel are collected in clusters. Inside - crispy, juicy, yellow flesh and hard bone with thorns. It tastes like a cross between pineapple and mango. Ripe fruits are eaten raw, juices, jams, marmalade are prepared from them, unripe fruits are used as a side dish, added to soups.

Where to try: Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Fiji, Australia, Jamaica, Venezuela, Brazil, Suriname.

Season: from July to August.

Bam-balan (Bambangan)

Winner in the nomination "The most native taste". Bam-balan resembles borscht with sour cream or mayonnaise. The fruit is oval in shape, dark in color, the smell is a bit harsh. To get to the pulp, you just need to remove the skin. Fruit is also added to garnishes.

Where to try: Borneo island (Malaysian part).

Salak (Salak)

Other names are lard, herring, rakum, "snake fruit". Round or oblong small fruits grow in clusters. Color - red or brown. The peel is covered with small spines and can be easily removed with a knife. There are three sweet segments inside. The taste is rich, sweet and sour, reminiscent of either persimmon or pear.

Where to try: Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia.

Season: all year round.

Bael (Bael)

Other names are tree apple, stone apple, Bengal quince. When ripe, the gray-green fruit turns yellow or brown. The peel is dense, just like a nut, and it is impossible to get to it without a hammer, so the pulp itself is most often sold in the markets. It is yellow, with fleecy seeds, divided into segments. Bail is eaten fresh or dried. It is also used to make tea and sharbat drink. The fruit has an irritating effect on the throat, causing itching, so the first experience of interacting with bail may be unsuccessful.

Where to try: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand.

Season: from November to December.

Kiwano

Also - horned melon, African cucumber, horned cucumber. When ripe, the shell is covered with yellow spikes, and the flesh becomes a rich green color. Oblong fruits are not peeled, but cut like a melon or watermelon. Taste is a mix of banana, melon, cucumber, kiwi and avocado. In other words, it can be added to both sweet and spicy dishes, as well as pickled. Unripe fruits are also edible.

Where to try: Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Israel, USA (California).

Season: all year round.

Magic Fruit (Miracle Fruit)

Other names are wonderful berries, sweet puteria. The name of the exotic fruit was deservedly deserved. The taste of the fruit itself does not stand out in any way, but for an hour it will seem to a person that everything he eats after is sweet. Taste buds are deceived by a special protein found in magical fruits, miraculin. Sweet foods seem tasteless.

Where to try: West Africa, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Australia, USA (South Florida).

Season: all year round.

Tamarind (Tamarind)

Tamarind, or Indian date, belongs to the legume family, but it is also consumed as a fruit. Curved fruits up to 15 centimeters long with brown skin and sweet and sour pulp. It is used as a spice, is part of the famous Worcestershire sauce and is used to prepare snacks, desserts and various drinks. Sweets are prepared from ripe dried tamarind. As a souvenir, tourists bring home meat sauce and cocktail syrup based on Indian dates.

Where to try: Thailand, Australia, Sudan, Cameroon, Oman, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama.

Season: from October to February.

Marula (Marula)

Fresh marula is found exclusively on the African continent, and all because after ripening, the fruits begin to ferment in a matter of days. It turns out such a low-alcohol drink (you can meet elephants “drunk” from marula). Ripe fruits are yellow in color and look like plums. The flesh is white, with a hard bone. Until the fermentation process begins, it has a pleasant aroma and unsweetened taste.

Where to try: South Africa (Mauritius, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Botswana, etc.)

Season: since March.

Kumquat (Kumquat)

Other names are Japanese orange, fortunella, kinkan, golden apple. The fruits are small, really look like mini-oranges, the crust is very thin. Edible whole, excluding bones. It tastes a little sourer than an orange, smells like a lime.

Where to try: China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Greece (Corfu), USA (Florida).

Season: from May to June, on sale all year round.

Citron (Citron)

Other names are Buddha's hand, cedrat, Corsican lemon. A trivial content is hidden behind external originality: oblong fruits are an almost continuous peel, reminiscent of lemon in taste and violet in smell. It can only be used for making compotes, jellies and candied fruits. Often the hand of the Buddha is planted in a pot as an ornamental plant.

Where to try: China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, India.

Season: from October to December.

Pepino (Pepino Dulce)

Also - sweet cucumber, melon pear. Formally, this is a berry, although it is very large. The fruits are varied, come in different sizes, shapes and colors, some have a bright yellow color with red or purple strokes. The pulp tastes like melon, pumpkin and cucumber. Overripe pepino are not tasty, just like unripe ones.

Where to try: Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus, Indonesia.

Season: all year round.

Mameya (Mamey)

Other names are sapota. The fruit is small, round. Inside - orange pulp, to taste, as you might guess, resembles an apricot. It is added to pies and cakes, canned, and jelly is prepared from unripe fruits.

Where to try: Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, Antilles, USA (Florida, Hawaii), Southeast Asia.

Naranjilla

Other names are naranjilla, lulo, the golden fruit of the Andes. Outwardly, naranjilla looks like a shaggy tomato, although it tastes like pineapple and strawberries. Juice with pulp is used to make fruit salads, ice cream, yogurt, biscuits, sweet sauces and cocktails.

Where to try: Venezuela, Panama, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile.

Season: from September to November.

Soursop (Soursop)

Also - annona, guanabana, graviola. One of the largest tropical fruits on the planet: the weight of the fruit can reach 7 kilograms. The fruits are oval or heart-shaped, the peel is hard, covered with soft spines. The flesh is creamy white, tastes like lemonade, with a pleasant sourness. Used to make smoothies, juices, purees, sherbets and ice creams. Black seeds are poisonous.

Where to try: Bermuda, Bahamas, Mexico, Peru, Argentina.

Season:

Also Jaboticaba, a Brazilian grape tree. The fruits, which look like grapes or currants, grow in clusters on trunks and main branches. The skin is bitter. Juices are made from the pulp alcoholic drinks, jelly, marmalade.

Where to try: Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, Panama, Peru, Colombia, Cuba, Philippines.

Season: from April to the end of October.

Curuba

Unripe green fruits clearly resemble cucumbers, only larger. When ripe, they become bright yellow. The orange-brown flesh is sour, aromatic, with small seeds. Kuruba perfectly quenches thirst. Juice, jam, jelly, wine, salads are made from the pulp.

Where to try: Bolivia, Colombia, Uruguay, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, India, New Zealand.

Season: all year round, in India and New Zealand from March to November.

Cupuaçu

Juicy and fragrant fruits are shaped like a melon, reach a length of 25 centimeters, a width of 12 centimeters. The skin is slightly hard, red-brown. The flesh is white, sour-sweet, the seeds are arranged in five nests. It is eaten fresh and used to make juices, yoghurts, liqueurs, jams, sweets and chocolates. It is believed that the most delicious cupuaçu is the one that fell to the ground.

Where to try: Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Colombia.

Season: all year round.

Marang

Marang fruits are elongated, thick skin covered with thorns that harden as they ripen. Inside - white slices with seeds, are quite large, with a third of the palm. Everyone describes the taste in their own way. So, some are sure that it resembles a sundae in a waffle cup, others that it resembles marshmallow. Others can't describe their feelings at all. Marang is not exported because it spoils instantly. If the dents do not straighten out when pressed, it must be eaten urgently. If the fetus is slightly squeezable, it should be allowed to lie down for a couple of days. Marang is usually eaten fresh but is also used in desserts and cocktails. The seeds are roasted or boiled.

Where to try: Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Borneo, Australia.

Season: from August to the end of April.

fruits of thailand

Fruit is sold all year round, although in the off season mangosteen, for example, is not very common, and pineapples are twice as expensive. You can buy in the markets, from street stalls, from merchants with mobile carts.

Pineapple, banana, guava, jackfruit, durian, melon, carambola, coconut, lychee, longan, longkong, mango, mangosteen, tangerine, mapla, noina, papaya, pitaya, pomelo, rambutan, herring, sapodilla, tamarind, jujube.

Fruits of Vietnam

Vietnam, one of the largest suppliers of fruits in the world market, can seriously compete even with Thailand. Most fruit in the south of Vietnam. In the off season, prices for especially exotic fruits can increase by 2-3 times.

Avocado, pineapple, watermelon, banana, guava, jackfruit, durian, melon, star apple, green orange, carambola, coconut, lychee, longan, mango, mangosteen, tangerine, passion fruit, milk apple, mombin, noina, papaya, pitahaya, rambutan , rose apple, sapodilla, tangerine, citron.

fruits of india

India is located in several climatic zones at once, which creates favorable conditions for growing fruits that are characteristic of both tropical and temperate zones (highlands). On the shelves you can find familiar apples, peaches and grapes and exotic coconuts, papaya and sapodilla.

Avocado, pineapple, anonna (cherimoya), watermelon, banana, guava, guava, jackfruit, fig, carambola, coconut, mango, tangerine, passion fruit, papaya, sapodilla, tamarind.

Egyptian fruits

Harvest in Egypt is harvested in spring and autumn, so the "season" of fruit is almost always here. The exception is the border periods, for example, early spring, when the "winter" fruits have already departed, and the "summer" ones are just on the way.

Apricot, quince, orange, watermelon, banana, grape, pomegranate, grapefruit, pear, guava, melon, fig, cantaloupe, carambola, kiwi, red banana, lemon, mango, marania, medlar, pepino, peach, pitaya, pomelo, sugar apple, physalis, date, persimmon.

Fruits in Cuba

In contrast to the same Egypt, the seasons in Cuba are expressed much more clearly. All year round you can buy pineapples, oranges, bananas, guava, papaya. In July-August, the most delicious mangoes, in the summer the season of mamonchillo, cherimoya, carambola and avocado also starts, in the spring - coconuts, watermelons, grapefruits.

Avocado, Pineapple, Annona, Orange, Banana, Barbados Cherry, Grapefruit, Guava, Caimito, Carambola, Coconut, Lime, Lemon, Mamonchillo, Mango, Passion Fruit, Papaya, Sapodilla, Tamarind, Cherimoya.

Fruit in the Dominican Republic

In the tropical Dominican Republic, there are predictably a lot of fruits: from the most familiar ones like bananas and pineapples to exotic ones - granadillas, mamonchillos and sapots.

Avocado, pineapple, annona, watermelon, banana, granadilla, pomegranate, grapefruit, guanabana, melon, caimito, kiwi, coconut, mamonchillo, mammon, mango, passionfruit, sea grapes, medlar, noni, papaya, pitahaya, sapota.

Arriving in a warm country, you encounter an abundance of exotic fruits, the name of which you heard for the first time. Let's deal with these "overseas fruits", a complete overview of the tropical fruits of the world of warm countries that you need to try. For each tropical fruit, below is a description, taste, ripening seasons, as well as how to cut and consume it.

Round red fruit, up to 4 cm in diameter. Wonderful, delicious fruit. It has one bone in the middle. Similar to Longon in shape, texture and stone, but with a richer taste and aroma. Very juicy, sweet, sometimes sour. The peel is easily separated from the white-transparent pulp.

Unfortunately, fresh Lychee can not be consumed all year round: the Lychee harvest season begins in May and lasts until the end of July. During the rest of the year it is almost impossible to find it.

During the off-season in Asia, canned lychees can be purchased in jars or plastic bags in their own juice or coconut milk.

Ripe fruits keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can freeze and store in the freezer for up to 3 months peeled fruits.

Lychee contains many proteins, pectins, potassium, magnesium and vitamin C. A very high content of nicotinic acid - vitamin PP, which actively prevents the development of atherosclerosis. The wide prevalence of Lychee in the countries of Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand) is the reason for the low level of atherosclerosis in this region.

Rambutan (Rambutan, Ngo, "hairy fruit from Thailand").

Round fruits of red color, up to 5 cm in diameter, covered with soft processes like thorns. The pulp covering the stone is a transparent white elastic mass, with a pleasant sweet taste, sometimes with a sour tint. The stone is quite tightly connected to the pulp, and is edible.

Contains carbohydrates, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, nicotinic acid and vitamin C. Fruits have a short shelf life - up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Harvest season: May to October.

It is cleaned by cutting the peel with a knife, or without using a knife, as if twisting the fruit in the middle.

Rambutan is eaten fresh, cooked jams and jellies, canned.

Mangosteen (Mangosteen, mangosteen, mangosteen, garcinia, mankut).

The fruit is about the size of a small dark purple apple. Beneath the thick, inedible skin is the edible pulp in the form of garlic cloves. The pulp is sweet with sourness, very tasty, not like anything else. Generally pitted, although some fruits have small, soft pits that can be eaten.

Sometimes there are sick fruits of Mangosteen, with a dark creamy, sticky and unpleasant-tasting pulp. Such fruits cannot be identified until you peel them.

The harvest season is from April to September.

Natural biologically active substances contained in mangosteen reduce inflammatory reactions: swelling, soreness, redness, high temperature.

Dragon's eye (pitahaya, pitaya, moon yang, dragon fruit, pitaya).

These are the fruits of a cactus. The dragon's eye is the Russian version of the name of this fruit. The international name is Dragon Fruit or Pitahaya.

Rather large, oblong fruits (palm-sized) red, pink or yellow on the outside. Inside the pulp is white or red, dotted with small black seeds. The pulp is very tender, juicy, slightly sweet, with an unexpressed taste. It is convenient to eat with a spoon, scooping out the pulp from the fruit cut in half.

The dragon's eye is useful for stomach pain, diabetes or other endocrine disease.

Harvest seasons are all year round.

Durian

King of fruits. The fruits are very large: up to 8 kilograms.

A fruit famous all over the world for its smell. Almost everyone has heard of it, some have smelled it, and very few have tasted it. Its smell is reminiscent of the smell of onions, garlic and worn socks. With this fruit, because of its smell, it is even forbidden to enter hotels, transport and other public places. To remind you of the ban in Thailand, for example, they hang out signs with a crossed-out image of a fruit.

The sweet pulp of the fruit has a very delicate texture, and does not at all correspond to an unpleasant odor. You should try this fruit, if only for the reason that many have heard about it, but few dare to try it. But in vain. The taste is very pleasant, and the fruit itself is considered the most valuable fruit in Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia). It is very high in calories and healthy. Durian also has a reputation as a powerful aphrodisiac.

Sold cut (into slices) and packed in polyethylene. In supermarkets, you can find very interesting sweets with the taste and smell of Durian.

Sala (salak, rakum, snake fruit, snake fruit, sala)

Oblong or round fruits of small size (about 5 cm long) red (Rakum) or brown (Salak) in color, covered with dense small spines.

Fruit with a very unusual, bright sweet-sour taste. Someone reminds a persimmon, someone a pear. It is worth trying at least once, and then how you like it ...

You should be careful when peeling the fruit: the spines are very dense and dig into the skin. It's better to use a knife.

The season is from April to June.

Carambola (Starfruit, Kamrak, Ma Phyak, Carambola, Star-fruit).

"Star of the tropics" - in the context of the shape we represent an asterisk.

Fruit with an edible peel, eaten whole (there are small seeds inside). The main advantage is a pleasant smell and juiciness. The taste is not particularly distinguished by anything - slightly sweet or sweet and sour, somewhat reminiscent of the taste of an apple. Sufficiently juicy fruit and perfectly quenches thirst.

Sold all year round.

People with severe kidney failures are not recommended to consume Carambola.

Longan (Lam-yai, Dragon's Eye).

Small fruits, similar to small potatoes, covered with a thin inedible skin and one inedible bone inside.

The pulp of Longan is very juicy, has a sweet, very aromatic, taste with a peculiar touch.

The season is from July to September.

Longkong (Longan, Longcon, Langsat, Lonngkong, Langsat).

Longkong fruits, like Longan, are similar to small potatoes, but are slightly larger in size and have a yellowish tint. It is possible to distinguish Longan if you peel the fruit from the peel: peeled, it looks like garlic.

They have an interesting sweet and sour taste. Fruits Rich in calcium, phosphorus, carbohydrates and vitamin C. The burnt skin of the Longkong gives off a fragrant smell that is not only pleasant, but also beneficial, as it serves as an excellent repellant.

Fresh fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 4-5 days. The skin of a ripe fruit should be dense, without cracks, otherwise the fruit will quickly deteriorate.

The season is from April to June.

Sometimes a variety is also sold - Langsat, which looks no different, but has a slightly bitter taste.

Jackfruit (Eve, Khanoon, Jackfruit, Nangka, Indian Breadfruit).

Jackfruit fruits are the largest fruits growing on trees: their weight reaches 34 kg. Inside the fruit are several large sweet yellow slices of edible pulp. These slices are sold already peeled, because you yourself cannot cope with this giant.

The pulp has a sugary-sweet taste, reminiscent of melon and marshmallow. It is very nutritious: it contains about 40% carbohydrates (starch) - more than in bread.

The season is from January to August.

You can take the risk of bringing such a monster home as a whole, it is stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. But it is better to buy chopped and packed slices of pulp.

Important! Some people have an unhealthy reaction in the throat after eating Jackfruit - spasms, it becomes difficult to swallow. Everything usually passes in an hour or two. Maybe it's an allergic reaction. Be careful.

Pineapple (Pineapple).

Pineapple fruits do not need special comments.

It should only be noted that Pineapples bought in Asia and Pineapples bought in Russia are completely different things. Pineapples in Russia are a pathetic imitation of real Pineapples that you can taste in their homeland.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the Thai Pineapple - it is considered the most delicious in the world. You should definitely try it and be sure to bring it home with you to pamper your loved ones. For consumption on the spot, it is better to buy already peeled.

Pineapple season - all year round

Mango (Mango).

According to some estimates, Mango is considered the most delicious fruit in the world.

Mango is quite widely known and sold in Russia. However, the taste and aroma of Mango in its homeland is very different from what is sold in our stores. In Asia, its fruits are much more fragrant, juicier, and the taste is more intense. And indeed, when you eat fresh, ripe mango grown, for example, in Thailand, it seems that there is nothing tastier.

The fruit is covered with an inedible peel that does not separate from the pulp: it must be cut into a thin layer with a knife. Inside the fruit there is a rather large, flat bone, from which the pulp also does not calve, and it must be separated from the stone with a knife, or simply eaten.

The color of the Mango varies from green to yellow (sometimes to yellow-orange or red) depending on the degree of maturity. For consumption on the spot, it is better to buy the most ripe - yellow or orange fruits. Without a refrigerator, such fruits can be stored for up to 5 days, in a refrigerator for up to 30 days, unless of course they were stored somewhere else before.

If you want to bring several fruits home, then you can buy fruits of medium maturity, greenish in color. They are well preserved and ripen on the road or already at home.

Noina (Sugar apple, Annona scaly, sugar-apple, sweetsop, noi-na).

Another unusual fruit that has no analogues and does not look like any of the fruits we are used to. The fruits of Noina are the size of a large apple, green, bumpy.

Inside the fruit is very palatable, sweet fragrant pulp and many hard seeds the size of beans. The unripe fruit is firm in texture and not at all tasty, similar to a pumpkin. Therefore, having bought an unripe fruit on the market and having tasted it, many tourists refuse to eat it further, immediately disliking it. But if you let it lie down for a day or two, it ripens and becomes very tasty.

The peel is inedible, it is very inconvenient to peel due to the bumpy skin. If the fruit is ripe, then the pulp can be eaten with a spoon, after cutting the fruit in half. The most mature or slightly overripe fruits literally fall apart in the hands.

To choose a ripe tasty noina, you first need to focus on its softness (soft fruits are more mature), but you need to be careful, because if you press a little harder on a ripe fruit, it will simply fall apart in your hands on the counter.

The fruit is rich in vitamin C, amino acids and calcium.

The season is from June to September.

Sweet Tamarind (Sweet Tamarind, Indian date).

Tamarind is considered a spice of the legume family, but is also used as an ordinary fruit. Fruits up to 15 centimeters long have an irregular curved shape. There is also a variety of Tamarind - green Tamarind.

Under the hard brown peel, resembling a shell, there is a brown pulp, sweet and sour with a tart taste. Be careful - inside Tamarind there are large hard bones.

By soaking tamarind in water and grinding through a sieve, juice is obtained. Sweets are made from ripe dried tamarind. You can buy in the store and bring home a wonderful tamarind sauce for meat and sweet tamarind syrup (for making cocktails.

This fruit is rich in vitamin A, organic acids and complex sugars. Tamarind is also used as a laxative.

The season is from October to February.

American Mammea (Mammea americana).

This fruit, also known as the American apricot and Antillean apricot, is native to South America, although it can now be found in almost all tropical countries.

This fruit, which is actually a berry, is quite large, growing up to 20 centimeters in diameter. Inside there is one large or several (up to four) smaller bones. The pulp is very tasty and fragrant, and, in accordance with its second name, tastes and smells like apricot and mango.

The ripening season is different depending on the region, but mainly from May to August.

Cherimoya (Annona cherimola).

Cherimoya is also known as Cream Apple and Ice Cream Tree. In some countries, the fruit is generally known under completely different names: in Brazil - Graviola, in Mexico - Roox, in Guatemala - Pac or Tzumux, in El Salvador - Anona poshte, in Belize - Tukib, in Haiti - Cachiman la Chine, in the Philippines - Atis , on Cook Island - Sasalapa. The homeland of the fruit is South America, but it can be found in the countries of Asia and South Africa, which are warm all year round, also in Australia, Spain, Israel, Portugal, Italy, Egypt, Libya and Algeria. However, in these countries the fruit is rare. It is most common on the American continent.

It is rather difficult to recognize the fruit of Cherimoyya at the first inexperienced glance, since there are several types of it with different surfaces (lumpy, smooth or mixed). One of the tuberculate varieties, including Noina (see above), which is widespread in the countries of Southeast Asia. The size of the fruit is 10-20 centimeters in diameter, and the shape of the cut fruit resembles a heart. The pulp resembles an orange in texture and is usually eaten with a spoon, very tasty and tastes like banana and passion fruit, papaya and pineapple, and strawberries with cream at once. The pulp contains very hard pits the size of a pea, so be careful, otherwise you may be left without a tooth. It is usually sold a little underripe and firm and must lie down (2-3 days) before getting its real amazing taste and texture.

The ripening season is usually from February to April.

Noni (Noni, Morinda citrifolia).

This fruit is also known as Big Moringa, Indian Mulberry, Healthy Tree, Cheese Fruit, Nonu, Nono. The homeland of the fruit is Southeast Asia, but now it grows in all tropical countries.

The Noni fruit resembles a large potato in shape and size. Noni cannot be called very tasty and fragrant, and, apparently, that is why tourists very rarely come across it. Ripe fruits have an unpleasant smell (reminiscent of the smell of moldy cheese) and a bitter taste, but are considered very useful. In some regions, noni is a staple food for the poor. It is usually consumed with salt. Noni juice is also popular.

Noni bears fruit all year round. But you can find it not in every fruit market, but, as a rule, in the markets for local residents.

Marula (Marula, Sclerocarya birrea).

This fruit grows exclusively on the African continent. And it is not easy to find it fresh for sale in other regions. The thing is that after ripening, the fruits almost immediately begin to ferment inside, turning into a low-alcohol drink. This property of marula is enjoyed not only by the inhabitants of Africa, but also by animals. After eating marula fruits that have fallen to the ground, they are often "drunk".

Ripe Marula fruits are yellow in color. The size of the fruit is about 4 cm in diameter, and inside is white pulp and a hard stone. Marula does not have an outstanding taste, but its flesh is very juicy and has a pleasant aroma until it starts to ferment. The pulp also contains a huge amount of vitamin C.

The harvest season of Marula takes place in March-April.

Wonderful Platonia (Platonia insignis)

Platonia grows only in the countries of South America. It is impossible to find it in the countries of Southeast Asia.

Platonia fruits are up to 12 centimeters in size, with a large thick peel. Under the peel is a white tender pulp with a sweet and sour taste and several large seeds.

Kumquat (Kumquat)

Kumquats are also known as Fortunella, Kinkan, Japanese oranges. This is a citrus plant. It grows in southern China, but is also widely distributed in other tropical countries. Kumquat fruits can also be found on the shelves of our stores, but the taste is not at all what you can try at home in the freshest form.

Kumquat fruits are small (from 2 to 4 centimeters), similar to small oblong oranges or tangerines. Outside covered with a very thin edible peel, inside and in structure and taste almost the same as an orange, maybe a little more sour and bitter. Eaten whole (except bones).

The ripening season is from May to June, you can buy all year round.

Guava (Guajava)

Guava (Guajava), Guava or Guava is found in almost all tropical and subtropical countries. Despite the fact that the fruit is considered exotic, you should not expect an exotic taste from it: a rather mediocre, slightly sweet taste reminiscent of a pear. It may be worth trying once, but you are unlikely to become a fan of it. Another thing is the aroma: it is quite pleasant and very strong. In addition, the fruit is very useful, rich in vitamin C and perfectly raises the overall tone of the body and improves health.

Fruits come in various sizes (from 4 to 15 centimeters), round, oblong and pear-shaped. Skin, pits and pulp, all edible.

In Asia, a green, slightly unripe Guava is liked to be consumed by dipping pieces of the fruit in a mixture of salt and pepper. From the outside it may seem unusual, but if you try it, the taste turns out to be quite interesting and tonic.

Passion Fruit/Passion Fruit

This exotic fruit is also called Passion Fruit, Passiflora (Passiflora), Edible Passion Flower, Granadilla. Homeland is South America, but can be found in most tropical countries, including the countries of Southeast Asia. Passion Fruit got its second name because it is credited with the properties of a strong aphrodisiac.

Passion fruit fruits have a smooth, slightly elongated rounded shape, reaching 8 centimeters in diameter. Ripe fruits have a very bright juicy color and are yellow, purple, pink or red. The yellow fruits are less sweet than the others. The pulp also comes in a variety of colors. Under the inedible peel is a jelly-like sweet and sour pulp with stones. You can’t call it especially tasty, juices, jellies, etc. made from it are much tastier.

When used, it is most convenient to cut the fruit in half and eat the pulp with a spoon. The bones in the pulp are also edible, but they cause drowsiness, so it is better not to abuse them. Passion fruit juice, by the way, also has a calming effect and causes drowsiness. The most ripe and delicious fruits are those whose skin is not perfectly smooth, but covered with "wrinkles" or small "dents" (these are the most ripe fruits).

The ripening season is from May to August. Stored in the refrigerator Passion Fruit can be one week.

Avocado

Avocados are also called Perseus americana and Alligator pear. Avocado is considered to be a fruit. It may be scientifically true, but it tastes more like a vegetable.

Avocado fruits are pear-shaped, up to 20 centimeters long. Covered with a tasteless and inedible peel. Inside there is a dense pulp like a pear and one large bone. The flesh tastes like an unripe pear or pumpkin and is nothing special. But if the avocado is well ripened, its flesh becomes softer, more buttery, and more palatable.

Avocados are more commonly used for cooking than for eating raw. So do not chase to be sure to try this fruit. But dishes prepared with Avocado can greatly diversify the festive table. On the Internet you can find many recipes for avocado dishes, including salads, soups, main courses, but on vacation you are unlikely to need all this, so you don’t have to look too much at Avocado.

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis, breadfruit, pana)

Don't confuse breadfruit with jackfruit. The jackfruit, although known as the Indian breadfruit, is actually a completely different fruit.

Breadfruit can be found in all tropical regions, but mainly in the countries of Southeast Asia and Oceania. Due to the very high yield of Breadfruit, its fruits are in some countries the main product of kicking, like our potatoes, for example.

Breadfruit fruits are rounded, very large, can reach 30 centimeters in diameter and four kilograms of weight. In its raw form, like a fruit, ripe fruits are consumed, and unripe fruits are used as vegetables in cooking. It is better to buy ripe fruits on vacation, and even better already cut into portions, because. you can hardly cut and eat the whole fruit. When ripe, the flesh becomes soft and slightly sweet, reminiscent of banana and potato. Not to say that the taste is outstanding, and therefore breadfruit is not often found in tourist fruit markets. The taste of bread can only be felt when preparing an unripe fruit.

Breadfruit ripening season, 9 months a year. You can buy fresh fruits all year round.

Jabuticaba (Jabuticaba)

Jaboticaba (Jaboticaba) is also known as the Brazilian grape tree. You can meet it mainly in the countries of South America, but sometimes it is also found in the countries of Southeast Asia.

This is a very interesting, tasty and rare exotic fruit. If you can find it and try it, consider yourself lucky. The fact is that the Jaboticaba tree grows very slowly, which is why it is practically not cultivated.

The way the fruits grow is also interesting: they grow directly on the trunk, and not on the branches of a tree. The fruits are small (up to 4 cm in diameter), dark purple. Under a thin dense peel (inedible) is a soft jelly-like and very tasty pulp with several seeds.

The tree bears fruit almost all year round.

Kiwano/Horned Melon

Kiwano Melon is also known as Horned Melon, African Cucumber, Antilles Cucumber, Horned Cucumber, Anguria. Kiwano really looks like a big cucumber in a section. Although it is a fruit, another question. The fact is that the fruits of Kiwano grow on a vine. It is cultivated mainly in Africa, New Zealand, on the American continent.

Kiwano fruits are oblong, up to 12 centimeters in length. The color is yellow, orange and red depending on the degree of ripening. Under a dense peel, the flesh is green, the taste is somewhat reminiscent of cucumber, banana and melon. The fruit is not peeled, but cut into slices or halves (like a regular melon), and then the pulp is eaten. In raw form, both unripe and unripe fruits are consumed. The unripe fruits can be eaten with the pits as they are soft. Also used with salt.

Magic fruit (Miracle fruit)

The magical fruit grows in West Africa. It does not have an outstanding exotic taste, but it is known and interesting in that after you eat it, for about an hour, all foods will seem sweet to you. The fact is that the Magic Fruit contains a certain protein that blocks for some time the taste buds on the tongue, which are responsible for the sour taste. Therefore, you can eat a lemon, and it will taste sweet to you. True, only fresh plucked fruits have this property, and during storage they quickly lose it. So don't be surprised if the trick doesn't work on purchased fruit.

The fruit grow on small trees or shrubs, have a rounded oblong shape, 2-3 centimeters long, red in color, with a hard bone inside.

The magical fruit bears fruit almost all year round.

Bael (Bael, wood apple, wood apple)

Also known under other names: Aegle marmelos, stone apple (stone apple), limonia acidissima, feronia elephantum, feronia limonia, hesperethusa crenulata, elephant apple, monkey fruit, curd fruit. It is very widespread in the countries of Southeast Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand).

This fruit grows on a tree and reaches 5-20 cm in diameter. The fruit is grey-green (immature) to yellow or brown (ripe) with a very dense, rough rind resembling a walnut shell. The flesh of the unripe fruit is orange, divided into segments with white seeds. In a ripe fruit, the pulp is mushy, brown, sticky, and can taste sour or sweet.

Bail fruits are not so easy to find in fruit markets in their entirety. And even if you meet him, you yourself will not cope with him. The fact is that its peel is hard as a stone, and it is impossible to get to the pulp without a hammer or hatchet.

If you can’t try it fresh (which, in general, you shouldn’t worry about), you can buy a tea from the fruits of Bail, called Matoom (Matoom tea). It consists of dried orange-brown circles, divided into several segments. It is believed that it is very effective in the treatment of gastrointestinal, colds, bronchial and asthmatic diseases. It is also used in cooking (tea, drinks, jams, jams, salads) and cosmetology (soap, aromatic oil).

The ripening season is from November to December.

Buddha hand

The Buddha Hand is a variety of Citron. It is also called Buddha Fingers and Finger Citron.

We decided to mention this very exotic fruit so that you do not try it during your vacation in a tropical paradise. This fruit is not one that you will enjoy the taste of. Undoubtedly, the fruit is very interesting and useful, and when you see it, you will most likely have a desire to try it. But don't rush. It is widely used in cooking, but you are unlikely to eat it. The fruit of the Hand of the Buddha is composed almost entirely of a rind (the pulp is inedible), which is similar to the rind of a lemon in taste (bitter and sour taste) and violet in smell.

The shape of the fruit is very interesting and looks like a palm with a large number of fingers, reaching a length of 40 centimeters. You can buy it only in order to bring it home with you as a souvenir, and already at home cook various dishes with citrus flavor from it (compote, jelly, candied fruit).

Banana (Banana, Musa)

Well, in general, everyone already knows about bananas. We accidentally mentioned banana so you can vote for them if they are your favorite. By the way, it is worth mentioning that bananas in exotic countries taste much better than those sold at home, so be sure to try bananas on vacation, maybe you will like them even more than before.

Papaya (Papaya, Melon tree, Breadfruit)

Papaya is native to South America but is now found in almost all tropical countries. Papaya fruits grow on trees, have a cylindrical oblong shape up to 20 centimeters in length.

Many who have tried Papaya say that it is more of a vegetable than a fruit. But that's because they ate unripe papaya. Unripe Papaya is really very widely used in cooking, salads are made from it (be sure to try the spicy Thai Papaya salad called Som Tam), meat is stewed with it and simply fried.

But ripe papaya in its raw form is really very tasty and sweet. In texture, it resembles a dense melon, and in taste it is something between a pumpkin and a melon. On sale there are both whole fruits of green color (not yet ripe, for cooking), and yellow-orange (ripe, ready to eat raw). It is not worth buying the whole fruit, it is better to buy ready-to-eat, peeled and cut into slices Papaya.

You can meet Papaya in tropical countries all year round.

Coconut (coconut, cocos, coco)

Coconut and coconut are quite often used as identical words. However, the name "coconut" in this case is not correct, because. coconut, in its structure, is classified as a stone fruit, such as apricot or plum.

Coconut is the fruit of the coconut palm, which grows throughout the tropics. Belongs to the category of fruits.

It is a large rounded (up to 30 cm in diameter) fruit, weighing up to 3 kg. Koros has conditionally two degrees of maturation. A young coconut has a smooth, light green or green-yellow outer layer, under which is a hard pit, which in turn is a clear (coconut water) or white emulsion (coconut milk), with a small jelly-like layer of coconut flesh on the walls of the shell. The liquid inside with a slightly sweet taste quenches thirst well, the pulp can also be eaten by scraping it off the walls with a spoon.

Another degree of maturation (or over-ripening) that we see in our stores is the following: on the outside, a fibrous and rough layer, under which there is a hard brown shell, and under it a thick layer of white pulp and a slightly cloudy liquid. This liquid, as a rule, is not tasty, and the pulp is dry and tasteless.

When opening a coconut, you need to be careful, one universal kitchen knife is not enough here, you will need more “heavy artillery”. But fortunately, if you buy coconut in tourist areas, you don’t have to worry about opening it: it will be opened in front of you, and most likely they will also give you a drinking straw and a spoon to “scrape” the pulp. Chilled coconut is best.

Tourists are very fond of a special coconut cocktail: you need to drink a little juice from a coconut, and add 30-100 grams of cognac, rum or whiskey there.

Coconut contains vitamins A, B, C, proteins, sugar, carbohydrates, organic acids; minerals - sodium, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus.

The ripening season is all year round.

Sapodilla or sapote tree or tree potato (Manilkara achras, M. zapota, or Achras zapota), sapodilla, prang khaa, la-mut, naseberry, chiku)

Sapodilla is an oval or round fruit up to 10 cm and weighing 100-150 g. It looks very much like a plum. The skin is matte and thin, has a color from light to dark brown.

The ripe fruit has a sweet flavor with a slight caramel flavor. In structure, the pulp resembles persimmon - soft and juicy, and just like persimmon, it can “knit” a little, only much less. Inside are several large black bones with a hook at the end (you need to be careful when using). As a rule, it is not recommended to store fruit for more than 3 days, because. it quickly deteriorates and sours. Therefore, Sapodilla is practically not found on the shelves of our stores. Unripe fruit is also not recommended, because. it has a very bad taste. It is worth choosing ripe fruits based on their color (those that are yellower or brown are more ripe, green ones should not be chosen at all) and softness. Hard fruits are completely immature, a mature fruit gives in to pressure a little, and an overripe one is squeezed very easily.

Sapodilla grows in countries with a tropical climate, in particular in America, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines.

Most often Sapodilla is used in desserts, salads and drinks. Unripe fruits are used for diarrhea, burns, and also in cosmetology.

Contains vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, carbohydrates.

The ripening season is from September to December.

pomelo

Pomelo or pomelo or pamela (Pomelo pummelo, pumelo, som-o, pompelmus, sheddok, Citrus maxima or Citrus grandis, Chinese grapefruit, dzheybong, jeruk, limo, lusho, jambura, sai-sekh, banten, zebon, robeb ​​tenga)

Pomelo belongs to citrus fruits and is considered the largest among this family. It is often compared to grapefruit. As a rule, the fruit has a rounded shape, can reach up to 20 cm in diameter and weigh up to 10 kg!!! Color, depending on the variety, can be from green to yellow-green. The peel is very thick, inside there is a light pulp: from white to pale yellow or Pink colour. The pulp is divided into slices separated by film partitions. Each lobule has large fibers and may contain small white pits. The taste of Pomelo is sweet with sourness, it can be slightly bitter. Compared, for example, with the same grapefruit, the pulp of Pomelo is more dry.

Pomelo grows in the countries of Southeast Asia (Malaysia, China, Japan, Vietnam, India, Indonesia), on about. Tahiti, Israel, USA. In Russia, it can be purchased at any supermarket, so it is not so exotic for the inhabitants of Russia.

It is worth choosing Pomelo, focusing, first of all, on a pronounced aromatic citrus smell and soft peel. Before use, you need to peel it from a thick peel, making several cuts (to make it easier and more convenient to clean), then divide into separate slices, which are also freed from partitions (they are very hard). Store at room temperature for up to a month, cleaned - in the refrigerator, no more than 3 days.

Use this fruit in cooking, in cosmetology. In some countries, it is consumed with salt, chili pepper and sugar, dipping peeled slices into this mixture.

Pomelo contains vitamins A, B, C, trace elements, fiber, essential oils.

Ripening season: all year round.

Fig (fig, fig, fig, fig, smyrna berry, Ficus carica)

Fig fruits can be round, pear-shaped or flattened with one "eye". On average, a ripe fruit weighs about 80 g, up to 8 cm in diameter. It is covered with a thin smooth skin from yellow-green to dark blue or purple on top. Under the skin is a layer of white peel. Inside the pulp is very sweet and juicy with small seeds, jelly-like consistency, reminiscent of strawberries in taste. In color - the flesh is from pink to bright red. Unripe fruits are inedible and contain milky juice.

It grows in Central Asia, in the Caucasus, in the Crimea, in the Mediterranean countries.

You need to choose ripe figs with a dense skin, without spots, slightly soft. It is recommended to store it for no more than 3 days in the refrigerator, because. it quickly deteriorates and is not transportable. You can eat with the peel, cut into slices or in half, scraping the pulp with a spoon. Most often, figs can be found on store shelves only in dried form. Dried fruits are pre-soaked in water before use, after such a “soaking” you can drink water (useful substances pass there).

Figs are dried, marinated, jam is cooked. In dried form, it is more nutritious and high-calorie than in fresh form.

Figs contain a lot of potassium, iron, vitamins B, PP, C, carotene, minerals and organic acids.

Harvest season: August to November.

Kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa), Chinese actinidia (Actinidia chinensis), Kiwi, Chinese gooseberry, Chinese grape)

Kiwi fruit is a berry. It has small fruits of a round or oval shape, covered on the outside with a fleecy thin brown skin. The mass of the fruit can reach up to 80 g, the diameter is up to 7 cm. Under the skin is juicy pulp, depending on the variety, it can be from green to yellow. In the very middle of the fruit, the flesh is white, surrounded by many small black seeds. The seeds are edible and taste sour. Kiwi pulp, in general, is sweet with a slight sourness, reminiscent of a mixture of gooseberries, apples, pineapples.

Kiwi is grown in countries with a subtropical climate (Italy, New Zealand, Chile, Greece). There are also small plantations in Russia (Krasnodar Territory). You can buy everywhere at any time of the year.

You need to choose even fruits, without dents and other damage to the skin, their ripeness is determined by the softness of the fruit. If the fruits are hard and hard, then they will ripen at home without any problems, for which they need to be placed in a bag with apples for one or two days. Kiwi can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator - up to two weeks, after putting it in a bag or plastic container.

There are two ways to eat kiwi: peel and cut into slices or cut in half and eat away the pulp with a spoon.

Kiwi contains a large amount of vitamins B and C, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium.

Various desserts are made from it, fruit salads, served with meat, fish, seafood, preparing drinks (syrups, liqueurs, wine, cocktails). Used in cosmetology.

Chrysophyllum or Star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito), star apple, cainito, caimito, (caimito, star apple), milky fruit (milky fruit)

The fruits of the Star apple are round or oval, up to 10 cm in diameter. The peel is thin, smooth, green to purple or brown, depending on the variety. Under the peel is a layer of peel of the same color as the peel itself. The flesh is white to purple, juicy, sweet, sticky, jelly-like, with an apple flavor. Inside there are up to 10 solid brown bones, up to 2 cm long. In cross section, the pulp resembles a star. Unripe fruits are knit and inedible. The milky juice that remains even in ripe fruits is very sticky, as a result, lips can stick together a little when eating the fruit.

It grows in countries with a tropical climate: in South America, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, West Africa.

Ripe fruits should be selected for slightly wrinkled peel and softness when pressed, no damage. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks. The fruits tolerate transportation well. Before use, the fruit must be cooled and peeled and peeled (they are bitter). You can eat, either by cutting in half and picking out the pulp with a spoon, or by cutting into slices, like a watermelon, the bones are inedible.

Used in the preparation of desserts.

Star apple is rich in vitamin C and trace elements. Very nutritious.

Harvest season: February to March.

Guanabana

Guanabana is a close relative of Noina and Cherimoya, and they can really be confused with an inexperienced eye in appearance and even in taste. Their main difference is in the peel: in Guanabana, the surface of the peel is clearly similar to rare low spines or villi, although in fact these processes are soft and not prickly at all. The fruit is round, irregularly elongated, quite large, can reach a weight of 12 kilograms, although usually there are fruits weighing no more than 3 kilograms on sale.

The homeland of Guanabana is tropical America, but today it can be found in almost all tropical regions, including the countries of Southeast Asia. You can not find this fruit in every fruit market, but if you find it, be sure to try it.

The flesh of the fruit is white, soft creamy in texture and slightly fibrous. The taste is sweet and slightly sour, unlike any other fruit. Inside there are a large number of hard bones the size and shape of a large bean.

In an unripe fruit, the flesh is hard and tasteless, like a pumpkin. Moreover, the fruits are often sold unripe (they ripen within a few days), which is why tourists, having bought it and tried it, do not immediately fall in love with it. But it is enough to let her lie down for a couple of days, as she acquires her own unique taste. To select a ripe fruit, you need to press a little on it, the peel should sag slightly. Hard dense fruits are unripe.

Guanabana can be eaten by cutting the fruit in half and scraping out the pulp with a spoon, or cut into slices and consumed like a watermelon. Peeling a ripe fruit will not work.

Guanabana is a perishable product and should be stored in the refrigerator. If you want to bring home, choose firm unripe fruits, they ripen quite well within 2-3 days, but then deteriorate.

The ripening season of Guanabana is all year round.

Tamarillo (Tomato tree, Cyphomandra beetroot, Cyphomandra betacea)


Tamarillo is an oval-shaped berry, reaching a length of 5 to 10 cm, with a diameter of up to 5 cm. The color of the fruit varies from yellow to dark red and even purple. It looks and tastes very similar to tomatoes, which is why its second name is Tomato tree, but still it is a fruit. Its skin is hard, smooth and bitter. It is very reminiscent of a tomato with a currant flavor, but has a slightly pronounced fruity smell. The flesh may be yellow or orange. As a rule, it has two sections inside with light or dark small seeds (depending on the color of the peel of the fruit itself, the lighter the color, the lighter the seeds).

It grows in the countries of South America (Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Brazil, etc.), some countries of Central America, Jamaica, Haiti, New Zealand.

You need to choose even and smooth fruits, without external damage, slightly soft. In this case, you should be aware that the fruits of yellow and orange are sweeter, and the fruits with a darker color become more sour as they ripen. Ripe fruits are not stored for long (in the cold for no longer than 7 days), unripe ones are able to ripen at room temperature. Poorly tolerate transportation.

They eat tamarillo, having previously peeled it (it is inedible), and slightly capturing a layer of pulp, or cutting it in half and scooping out the pulp with a spoon.

It is widely used in cooking, using it in dishes both as a vegetable and as a fruit.

Tamarillo is rich in vitamins (A, group B, C, E) and trace elements.

The ripening season is all year round.

Feijoa (Feijoa, Pineapple Guava, Acca Sellowiana)

Feijoa is a small oval-shaped berry, 3 to 5 cm long, up to 4 cm in diameter. The weight of an average fruit is from 15 to 50 g. "tail". The skin is thin dense, can be smooth or slightly bumpy, wrinkled. The flesh under the skin, depending on the degree of maturity, is from white or cream to brownish (in the latter case, the berry is said to be spoiled). Inside the pulp is divided into sections, in the center of which there are several light edible seeds. The consistency of a ripe feijoa is light and jelly-like. The taste of the berry is juicy, sweet and sour, reminiscent of a mixture of strawberries with pineapple or strawberries with kiwi (people have different tastes).

It grows in countries with a subtropical climate: in South America (Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay) in the Caucasus and southern Russia (Krasnodar Territory), Abkhazia, Georgia, Crimea and Central Asia.

You can eat as a whole fruit with a peel, however, this is not for everyone, because. feijoa skin tastes sour and astringent. In most cases, feijoa is cut in half and the flesh is scraped out with a spoon, or you can peel the skin with a knife and eat the peeled fruit.

For immediate consumption, you need to choose soft (ripe) fruits. If you have to transport, then hard (unripe) feijoa fruits are perfect for this, and will ripen on the road. Ripe berries should be stored no more than 3-4 days.

Feijoa contains a large amount of iodine, acids, vitamin C.

It is used in cooking: preparing jams and jellies, salads and drinks.

The ripening season is October-November.

Pepino (Melon Pear, Sweet Cucumber (Solanum muricatum)

This rather large berry grows up to 700 g in weight. The fruits can be different in shape and oblong, pear-shaped, and round. In color, mostly pale to bright yellow, sometimes with purple patches or stripes. Ripe fruit is very juicy and sweet, reminiscent of melon in taste, but unripe can be a little sour. The peel is thin, dense, smooth. The pulp is yellow, inside there are sinuses with small light seeds (edible). Before eating, it is customary to peel the fruit (it is edible, but unpleasant in taste)

It is cultivated in large numbers in South America (Peru, Chile), New Zealand.

You need to choose ripe fruits for a rich yellow color with a slightly pronounced fruity aroma and a little soft. A feature of Pepino is that ripe fruits can be stored for several months in the refrigerator, unripe ones are able to ripen and also be stored for a long time.

Contains vitamins (A, B, C, PP), keratin, iron, potassium, pectin.

Used in cooking, along with vegetables, especially unripe Pepino fruits.

The ripening season is all year round.

Santol or Cato (Sandoricum koetjape, santol, kraton, krathon, graton, tong, donka, wild mangosteen, false mangosteen)

Santol grows in the countries of Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Philippines).

The fruit of Santola has a rounded shape from 8 to 15 cm in diameter with a long stalk. Depending on the variety, it can be from yellowish to brown in color, the peel is slightly velvety on top. Fruit color is usually uneven with pigmentation over the entire surface. Under a rather thick peel, a whitish opaque pulp is hidden, similar to "garlic" cloves, up to 5 pieces. Inside each slice is a large brownish bone (it is not recommended to eat it unnecessarily, because it has a laxative effect). The pulp is juicy in taste, ranging from sour to sweet and sour, slightly reminiscent of mangosteen. As a rule, the fruits of yellowish varieties are sweeter.

Before use, you need to peel the fruit (it is inedible), after cutting it across into two halves, with a knife or peel it with your hands, and then remove the slices of pulp and free them from the seeds. The pulp does not separate well from the stone, so it is customary to suck it. Sometimes Santol is eaten with salt and pepper.

Santol fruits contain a large amount of iron, magnesium, fluorine.

Used in cooking (desserts, alcohol) and cosmetology (masks, scrubs).

The ripening season is from May to June.

Jujube or jujube (Zizyphus jujuba) (unabi, Chinese date, chest berry, jujube, jujube)

The fruit of the shrub is ovoid or rounded in length from 2 to 6 cm, depending on the variety. Outside, the fruit is smooth, shiny, from green or yellowish to dark red, even brown. Sometimes the color of jujube can be uneven over the entire surface, as if spotty. The skin is thin and almost inseparable from the fruit. Inside the pulp is white dense, very juicy and sweet, reminiscent of an apple. In the middle there is, as a rule, one oblong bone. The aroma of jujube is slightly fruity.

It grows in countries with a temperate climate to subtropical, in particular Thailand, China, India, Japan, Central Asia, the Mediterranean, southern Russia, the Caucasus.

You need to choose dense fruits, but not very hard (they can be unsweetened), dark red or brown. Eat with the peel. Fresh fruits do not store well, so it is recommended to dry them.

Yuyuba - useful and even medicinal product. It is used both fresh and dried. Rich in vitamins A, B, especially vitamin C, sugars, acids, trace elements.

Widely used in cooking (drinks, wine, jams, preserves, etc.), medicine (has a calming, anesthetic, tonic effect), cosmetology.

The ripening season is from August to October.

Burmese grape or Mafai (Mafai, Baccaurea ramiflora, Baccaurea sapida)

Mafai fruits taste very similar and outwardly similar to Longan fruits. They are from yellow to red with a diameter of up to 5 cm. The peel is thin, soft, smooth. Inside from 2 to 4 cloves, outwardly resembling garlic. The pulp is juicy, white, sweet and sour with a refreshing effect. Inside each lobule is a bone that does not separate from the pulp, the stone tastes bitter. Because of this, it is not very convenient to eat the fruit, since almost all the pulp remains “stuck” to the bone, and it cannot be separated in any way. This fruit has no characteristic aroma. In general, it cannot be said that this fruit is worth “hunting” in order to definitely try it.

The peel of Mafai is well cleaned (about the pulp mentioned above), it is best stored in the refrigerator.

You can meet this fruit in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, India, China, Cambodia. Occurs very rarely.

The ripening season is from May to August.

The term "fruit" appeared in 1705 and since then means edible or inedible fruits of trees, shrubs (earlier, all plant fruits were called vegetables). The product is one of the main components of the human diet, since, depending on the variety, it contains many vitamins and microelements. According to rough estimates, there are a little more than 2,000 fruits on the planet.

Apricot

A small tree or large shrub with a wide round crown. Very elegant are its reddish-brown or brown-olive, shiny, bare shoots, often in places (but not entirely) covered with a grayish film, 2-3 buds nearby. Very decorative at the time of flowering, decorated with numerous large white or pale pink flowers, with dark red recurved sepals. No less beautiful is the apricot at the time of fruiting, decorated with velvety-pubescent, often with a blush, sweet, rounded fruits with a longitudinal groove up to 3 cm in diameter. The tree loves light and tolerates drought well, living up to 50 years or more.

Avocado

Interest in avocados is constantly growing last years, but still few people know that there are varieties whose fruits are more like a bottle gourd, there are black, pimply, oval and huge spherical avocados. Moreover, some of these varieties for a number of important indicators chemical composition three times different from each other. Nevertheless, with the help of properly selected varieties, people in different parts of the world take care of their skin condition, hair health, treat atherosclerosis, relieve arthritis symptoms and normalize the functioning of the nervous system.

cherry plum

Strongly prickly branched multi-stem trees, sometimes a shrub, with thin brownish-green shoots, 3-10 meters high. Cherry plum flowers are white or pink, solitary. Blooms in early May. Cherry plum fruits ripen in August-September. Excellent honey plant and rootstock for plums.

A pineapple

Everyone knows that sweet ripe pineapple is added to salads, yogurts and pies. Less people know that pineapples can be fermented and cooked from them cabbage soup. Even fewer have heard that pineapple leaves are used to produce a light and durable leather substitute, new types of fabric, nanofiber, which has become an alternative to plastic. And very few people know that scientists today, with the help of the bromelain enzyme contained in pineapple, are finding new ways to treat respiratory diseases, angina pectoris, ischemia, and are also actively exploring the potential of the enzyme in the fight against cancer cells.

Annona (guanabana)

tree in natural conditions reaches 6m in height, the room is much lower. Unlike some other annonas, this is an evergreen tree. The leaves are oval or oblong, glossy, leathery, dark green, up to 15 cm long. They have a slightly spicy smell, especially noticeable when rubbed. The flowers are fragrant, large (up to 4.5 cm in diameter), consist of three yellow-green fleshy outer petals and three pale yellow inner petals, can appear in different places - on the trunk, branches and small twigs. Flowers never fully open. Guanabana fruits are oval or heart-shaped, often irregular in shape, up to 30 cm in length, 15 cm in diameter and weighing up to 3 kg, dark green, turning yellow-green when ripe.

Orange

ABOUT useful properties there are many legends about the orange, some of which, however, are not confirmed by anything. For example, some believe that an orange breaks all records for the content of vitamin C, although in fact it does not stand out among other citrus fruits in this parameter. Others believe that orange fruits (or freshly squeezed juice) can effectively burn fat and provide relief from extra pounds in diets. This is also not entirely true.

Banana

Bananas have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-allergic properties. With the help of banana components (dopamine, serotonin, adrenaline and noradrenaline), atherosclerosis, hypertension are treated, liver enzyme activity is increased, convulsions are relieved, and small doses of banana increase the quality and quantity of sperm. The main thing is not to abuse the banana diet, so as not to get the opposite effect, and also not to provoke problems with excess weight and varicose veins.

Bergamot

Bergamot is a hybrid species of an artificially bred plant of the genus Citrus. The plant was obtained by crossing orange and citron. The skin of bergamot contains valuable essential oils used in the cosmetic and perfume industries, as well as in medicine.

Grapefruit

grapefruit (English) grape And fruits- grapes and fruit) - a citrus yellow-orange fruit that grows in subtropical climatic latitudes. Grapefruit grows on an evergreen tree of the same name, reaching a height of 13-15 m. A ripe fruit in diameter is no more than 15 cm. In appearance, grapefruit is most similar to an orange, but its flesh is more acidic, and the inner white veins are bitter. Many scientists believe that the grapefruit originated in India as a natural hybridization of the pomelo and the orange.

Pear

This is a fruit plant with a multi-thousand-year history of cultivation, which almost all this time is fighting for the right to be no worse than its close relative - an apple. And the pear is really no worse. Potassium, antioxidants, coarse dietary fiber, less fruit acids, fiber-related “light” sugars and other beneficial substances make this fruit both tasty and healthy, and in some cases medicinal. Experimentally proven, for example, the ability of pears to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and prevent strokes.

Guava

A small evergreen tree up to 3-4 m high, belongs to the myrtle family, tolerates drought well. Blooms once or twice a year. It gives one main crop - up to 100 kg per tree and 2-4 additional, much smaller crops. Guava matures ninety to one hundred and fifty days after flowering. The shape and size of the fruit is extremely variable. In appearance, the guava looks like a bumpy green or yellow apple. Guava fruits are round and pear-shaped, with a bright yellow, reddish or green thin skin. The mass of fruits of cultivated varieties is from 70 to 160 g, the length of the fruit is from 4 to 6.5 cm, the diameter is 4.8-7.2 cm. which disappears in mature fruit.

Jackfruit

A plant of the mulberry family, a close relative of the breadfruit tree. Jackfruit is the national fruit of Bangladesh. Jackfruit fruits are the largest edible fruits growing on trees: 20-90 cm long and up to 20 cm in diameter, they weigh up to 34 kg. Their thick skin is covered with numerous cone-shaped protrusions. Young fruits are green, when ripe they become green-yellow or brown-yellow and when tapped they make a hollow sound (immature fruits are deaf). Inside, the fruit is divided into large lobes containing yellow, fragrant, sweet pulp, consisting of juicy soft fibers. Each slice contains one fairly large oblong white seed 2-3 cm long. The cut jackfruit fruit has a pleasant specific smell, slightly reminiscent of a banana and pineapple.

dragon fruit (pitahaya)

An extraordinary fruit. Currently, it is grown in southern Mexico, in some countries of Central and South America, in Vietnam, as well as in Israel (in the Negev desert). Depending on the species, the size of the pitahaya fruit, the color of the pulp (white, pink, purple), the color of the skin (from yellow to orange, from red to purple) and the surface texture of the fruit (with small outgrowths, with thin colored scales) vary. The pulp of the dragon fruit fruit is always filled with small black seeds, which are customary to clean out.

durian

Durian has such a disgusting smell that you are unlikely to be allowed in with it. public place. However, if you overcome disgust or just close your nose and taste the juicy pulp, you will immediately understand where the concept of the king of fruits came from.

carambola

Evergreen, slow-growing tree 5 m high with drooping branches and a dense, highly branched, rounded crown or shrub. The leaves are soft, dark green, smooth on top and covered with whitish pubescence below. The leaves are sensitive to light and cluster together at night. The flowers are small pink or purple-red. Carambola fruits are fleshy, crispy and juicy, slightly spicy, with massive ribbed outgrowths, ranging in size from chicken egg to a large orange. Ripe fruits of carambola are amber-yellow or golden-yellow. They are unusual in shape - they look like a ribbed airship.

Kiwi

The herbaceous vine Actinidia sinensis and its fruits are berries with green flesh and brown skin covered with small hairs. The history of kiwi is very unusual. The birthplace of the creeper with the name mihutao, which became the progenitor of kiwi, is China.

clementines

clementine or Citrus clementina is one of the varieties of tangero. It is a hybrid of orange and tangerine. It was created back in 1902 by Father Klemen, who was not only a priest, but also a wonderful breeder. The shape of the fruit is the same as that of the mandarin, but they are much sweeter.

Kumquat

whale. golden orange
Yellow-orange tropical fruit of the citrus family of an evergreen plant. This fruit has other names - kinkan and fortunella. Outwardly, the kumquat looks like a very small oval orange. In length, it reaches a maximum of 5 cm, and in width - 4 cm. The fruit is consumed completely with the peel. The taste of the fruit is very close to sour tangerine, but the peel has a sweet-tart taste. The kumquat is native to southern China.

Lime

Lime is the fruit of a plant in the citrus family native to India, genetically similar to lemon.
Lime is a small tree or bush from 1.5 to 5.0 m high. The crown is dense, the branches are covered with short spines. Inflorescences are axillary, with 1-7 flowers, remontant flowering. Lime fruits are small - 3.5-6 cm in diameter, ovoid, lime flesh is greenish, juicy, very sour. The peel is green, yellowish-green or yellow, very thin when fully ripe.

Lemon

Although lemon is popularly considered the champion in the amount of vitamin C, in fact, in terms of the content of ascorbic acid, it does not stand out among other citrus fruits and even lags behind some of its “brothers”. But that doesn't make it useless. Traditional medicine includes lemon in prescriptions for "thousands of diseases": from seborrhea and arthritis, to constipation and tuberculosis. And scientific research is aimed at using lemon potential in therapy to restore liver function, reduce "bad" cholesterol and blood pressure.

Lychee

lat. Litchi chinensis- Chinese plum
A small sweet and sour fruit covered with a crusty skin. The fruit grows on evergreen tropical trees, the height of which reaches 10-30 meters. Homeland is China. The fruit has an oval or round shape with a diameter of 2.5-4 cm. The ripened fruit has a dense red skin with a large number of sharp tubercles. Only the pulp of the fruit is used for food, which has a jelly-like structure, and in color and taste resembles peeled white grapes. Inside the pulp is an oval brown bone. The main harvest of lychee occurs in May-June.

Longan (Lam Yai)

The fruit of an evergreen longan tree native to China, Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia.
The juicy flesh of the longan has a sweet, very fragrant, nephelium-like taste with a peculiar tinge. The color of the hard, inedible outer shell of the fruit varies from mottled yellowish to reddish. Like the Chinese lychee, the longan fruit contains a hard, dark red or black seed.

Mango

The evergreen mango tree has a height of 10 - 45 m, the crown of the tree reaches a radius of 10 m.
New leaves grow yellowish-pink, but quickly turn dark green. The flowers are white to pink, after opening they have an aroma similar to that of lilies. Ripe mango fruits hang on long stems and weigh up to 2 kg. The skin of a mango is thin, smooth, green, yellow or red depending on the degree of maturity (combination of all three colors is often found). The pulp of a mango can be soft or fibrous, also depending on the maturity of the fruit, it surrounds a large, hard, flat bone.

Mangosteen

Tall evergreen tree up to 25 m high with a pyramidal crown and black-brown bark. The leaves are oval-oblong, dark green above and yellow-green below, 9 - 25 cm long and 4.5 - 10 cm wide. Young leaves are pink. Flowers with fleshy green petals with red spots. The mangosteen fruit is round, 3.4 - 7.5 cm in diameter, covered on top with a thick (up to 1 cm) burgundy-violet inedible skin containing sticky coloring latex, under which there are 4-8 segments of white edible pulp with seeds tightly adjacent to it . Mangosteen bears fruit late - the first fruits on trees for 9-20 years of life.

Mandarin

There are many myths about mandarin. Many have probably heard that more than 4 fruits a day cannot be eaten? This is an exaggeration - there is no common table for all indicating the dangerous amount of this citrus. They also say that green leaves on a tangerine are a sign of its special freshness, that the oranger the peel, the sweeter the fruit, that the naringin contained in the zest directly burns fats, and that citruses in general and tangerines in particular are hardly the best source of vitamin C. All this is also not entirely true. But mandarin has properties that have long been in demand in folk medicine, which make it a promising product in the fight against some serious diseases.

passion fruit

An ancient tropical crop of the genus Passiflora that produces yellow or dark purple oval fruits (when ripe) growing on vines. Passion fruit is grown for its juice, which is often added to other fruit juices for flavor. Passionfruit fruits are yellow-orange or dark purple fruits, oval in shape and about 6-12 cm in size. Fruits with smooth, shiny skin are preferred, but sweeter with rough, cracked skin.

medlar

tour. musmula
This is a whole genus of plants, which includes almost 30 species. However, there are two main cultivated types of medlar: German and Japanese. The German medlar has been known to mankind for more than 1000 years BC. In the territories of Ancient Babylon, Mesopotamia, it was freely traded, it was taken on ships to the west to Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. It was from here that the medlar came to European lands. To date, the German medlar grows in the Balkans, Asia Minor, the Crimean Mountains, Transcaucasia, Armenia, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Greece and northern Iran. The tree is quite finicky and grows well only in dry, sunny places and on slightly acidic soil.

Nectarine

A fruit that is a peach with a smooth skin. Despite the widespread myth, nectarine is obtained by selection or simple mutation of peaches and is not a peach-plum hybrid.
This classic example of a bud mutation occurs when peach trees self-pollinate. Nectarines sometimes appear on peach trees, and peaches on nectarine trees. Nectarines are first mentioned in 1616 in England.

Papaya

A low, slender tree with a thin, branchless trunk 5-10 meters high, crowned with an umbrella of palmately dissected leaves on long petioles. Papaya leaves are large, 50-70 centimeters in diameter. The flowers develop in the axils of the petioles, turning into large fruits, 10-30 cm in diameter and 15-45 cm long. Ripe papaya fruits are soft and have a color from amber to yellow.

Peach

A tree of the Rosaceae family, has a subgenus of almonds. It differs from almonds only in fruits. The leaves are lanceolate with a serrated edge and almost sessile, appearing before the development of the leaves, pink flowers. The fruit is a peach, spherical, with a groove on one side, usually velvety. The peach pit is wrinkly furrowed and punctately dimpled.

pomelo

English pomelo
Citrus fruits of the evergreen tree of the same name. The peel of the fruit is quite thick, and the slices are large, separated by rigid partitions. white color bitter taste. The color of a ripe pomelo can vary from light green to yellow-pink. The pink color usually acquires only one side, which during ripening was turned to the sun. The fruit is the champion among citrus fruits. Its diameter can be 30 cm, and its weight can reach 10 kg. The taste of pomelo is very close to grapefruit, but the pulp is not so juicy and when peeled, the inner membranes are more easily separated from the edible part.

Pomeranian

It is also called Chinotto or Bigaradia - it is a woody evergreen plant belonging to the Rut family, a species of the genus Citrus. It is considered a hybrid of pomelo and mandarin. When fresh, the orange is considered inedible, and it is valued mainly because of the zest. The peel is quite easily separated from the fruit, you just need to cut it into 4 parts. The zest of oranges is used to make desserts. It is also often added to ice cream. For such a dessert, you need to take orange zest and juice, cream and sugar. All this must be beaten with a mixer and sent to freeze.

Have you ever wondered what a rich assortment of citrus fruits are? The list, of course, is not endless, but very long. Each variety has its own unique taste, unusual appearance and application. One thing unites all types of citrus fruits - the incredible smell of flowers and fruits. Fruits vary in color, shape, pulp, brightness of taste, but a bright aroma is their calling card.

It is believed that representatives of the citrus family were formed as a result of interspecific crossing. Some citrus fruits are obtained naturally, others have appeared thanks to the labors of breeders. Lime, mandarin, citron and are considered the progenitors of citruses. Various combinations of properties and qualities of these fruits have created the whole variety of sweet and sour, sunny citrus fruits.

Ugli (Uglifruit)

This citrus fruit is a successful hybrid of a mandarin and an orange. J. Sharp grafted a cutting of an unprepossessing plant into sour oranges and obtained a fruit superior in sweetness. He continued grafting until he developed a sugar variety with a minimum number of seeds. 15-20 years after the first experiment, Ugli fell in love in European countries. Today the citrus fruit is grown in Jamaica and Florida from December to April.

The name comes from the English "ugly" and means "ugly". We can safely say that this is the very case when you should not judge by appearance. A yellowish-green wrinkled peel with large pores and orange spots hides a juicy, sweet flesh underneath. The citrus fruit is easy to peel and separates into orange slices with a pleasant bitterness. The taste can be imagined as a combination of cloying tangerine with a noble note of grapefruit bitterness.

Uglifrut grows up to 10-15 cm in diameter. Ripe fruit should be heavy in weight. If, when you click on the spots, the fruit is strongly deformed, it means that it is overripe and has already begun to deteriorate. A special difference is the manufacturer's label or trademark printed on the peel. By the way, in decorative purposes the tree is grown in tubs all over the world, including in Russia.

Agli is eaten fresh. In cooking, it is used to make marmalade, jams, preserves, salads, yogurt, ice cream, sauces and candied fruits. Juice is used to flavor drinks and create cocktails.


It's hard to believe, but a citrus familiar from childhood is a natural hybrid of mandarin and pomelo. The plant was first discovered as early as 2500 BC. Its homeland is China, from where hundreds of years later the fruit spread to European countries. For this, the orange is also called the Chinese apple. The orange round fruit is protected by a dense skin that hides large grains of pulp.

It is known that lemon and orange are the most consumed and common citrus fruits. Unlike its sour counterpart, the sunny fruit is more often eaten in its natural form, and is also used in cooking for the preparation of candied fruits, salads, desserts, marmalade, jam, as a filling in chocolates and pastries. It is impossible to remain silent about the delicious orange juice, which is one of the most popular drinks in the world. The peel of the fruit is also used in the production of beverages, although alcoholic ones, such as wine or liquor.

Of course, we are mostly familiar with sweet oranges, but there are also bitter (orange), which you will learn about a little later.

King orange or red orange


In addition to the usual, orange, there are bloody oranges. They look very exotic, they are often called beetles. Citrus fruits owe their unusual name to red-colored pulp: from light to saturated. The point is the anthocyanin pigment and its concentration in various varieties. Outwardly, the beetle looks like an orange, it is smaller and has red-orange spots on the porous peel. The pulp contains practically no seeds. The slices are easily separated from each other.

The fruit is a natural mutation of the orange and is similar in taste. Red citrus is eaten fresh or used in salads, smoothies and sweet desserts. Rich juice looks attractive. Most varieties of blood fruit are grown in Mediterranean countries. The most famous of them are Moro, Sanguinello and Tarocco.


Fragrant bergamot is a descendant of bitter orange (orange) and lemon. The birthplace of the fruit is considered to be Southeast Asia. It is named after the Italian city of Bergamo, where the citrus was domesticated.

The pear-shaped, roundish fruit of dark green color is protected by a dense wrinkled skin. Due to the specific bitter-sour taste, fresh fruit is not often eaten. Marmalade and candied fruits are prepared from it, they flavor teas and confectionery. Essential oil with a pleasant refreshing aroma is used in perfumery.


A citrus fruit native to India, a descendant of the citron and lemon. Outwardly, it looks like a round, portly lemon. When rubbed, the leaves exude a delicious smell, similar to the spice of ginger and the freshness of eucalyptus. The yellow-sand smooth peel covers a pale, almost transparent, sour pulp with numerous small bones. Due to its spicy taste, Gayanima is a popular ingredient in marinades in Indian cuisine.


Scientists have long argued as to which citrus fruits were the ancestors of the grapefruit. Ultimately, it is believed that this is a natural hybrid of orange and pomelo. First, the plant was discovered in Barbados in 1650, and a little later in Jamaica, in 1814. Today, citrus has spread to most countries with a suitable subtropical climate. The name comes from the word "grape", which means "grapes". When ripe, the fruits of grapefruit closely gather side by side, resembling bunches of grapes.

A large rounded fruit reaches 10-15 cm in diameter, weighs about 300-500 g. The flesh is hidden under a dense orange shell, divided by bitter partitions. This variety of citrus fruits is varied in the color of sweet grains: from yellow to deep red. It is believed that the redder the flesh, the tastier it is. The number of small bones is minimal, there are representatives with their complete absence.

When choosing a grapefruit, give preference to heavy fruits. The fruit, unlike other citrus fruits, can retain its taste properties for a long time, even during heat treatment. Grapefruit is eaten fresh, used as an ingredient in dishes and drinks: salads, desserts, liqueurs and jams. Delicious spicy candied fruits are made from the peel. The fruit is peeled and freed from partitions, or cut across, after which the pulp is eaten out with a small spoon. The fruit, like juice, due to its composition, is included in the list of products for weight loss.


An intraspecific hybrid of tangerines - dekopon, which is also referred to as sumo, was discovered in Nagasaki in 1972. Citrus is native to Japan, South Korea, Brazil and some US states and is grown in large greenhouses. Fruits mainly in winter. Unlike its ancestors, the citrus fruit is larger in size and is decorated with a large, elongated tubercle at the top. The orange peel is easily separated and peeled off. Beneath it are hidden sweet, poured pitted pulp.


From the name it is clear that citrus comes from India. Outwardly, it looks like a voluminous tangerine with a relief peel and brightly defined slices. The fruit is used in folk medicine and in spiritual rituals. This is one of the oldest ancestors of citrus fruits. Currently considered endangered.


Yekan or anadomican, whose homeland is Japan, is still a mystery to breeders. Many are inclined to believe that this is a hybrid of pomelo and tangerine. The fruit was first discovered in 1886, and has been bred in China for some time.

Yekan can be compared to a grapefruit. The fruits are similar in size, weight and ways of eating. The fruit also has a slight bitterness of the partitions, but the pulp itself is much sweeter. Bright orange, sometimes red anadomican fell in love with the inhabitants of Asia. Farmers have even learned to grow citrus with five corners.


The second name of citrus fruit is estrogen. A separate type of citron, practically does not contain pulp, is used in religious ceremonies. Very large, grows 1.5-2 times the size of a human palm, slightly tapering from the base. The peel is massive, bumpy, elastic. The pulp is slightly sugary, does not have a pronounced aroma.


Indian lime comes from the country of the same name. Also called Palestinian and Colombian limes. The fruit is considered a hybrid of Mexican lime and sweet citron. According to other sources, this is the result of crossing lime and lime. Unfortunately, attempts by scientists to breed this variety in the laboratory have not been successful.

Light yellow fruits are spherical, or vice versa, slightly elongated. Thin smooth peel has a light, subtle smell. The flesh is transparent yellow, slightly sweet, even a little bland in taste, due to the absence of acids. The fruits of this plant are not edible. The tree is used as a rootstock.

Ichandarin (Yuzu)


A very interesting result of the hybridization of sour mandarin (sunki) and Ichan lemon. The ancient citrus plant of China and Tibet is considered an essential ingredient of the national cuisine. Outwardly, Ichandarin (aka Yunos or Yuzu) looks like a green, spherical lemon. The pulp is very sour, with a light tangerine flavor and a refreshing aroma. In cooking, it is used as an alternative to lemon or lime.


The citrus fruit is also called kabusu. It is a hybrid of bitter orange with primitive citrus fruits (papedas). Kabosu is native to China, but the people of Japan also cultivate this plant. The fruit is plucked from the tree as soon as it turns bright green. Outwardly, it is very similar to a lemon. And if you leave it on a branch, the kabusu turns yellow and becomes completely indistinguishable from its citrus counterpart.

Sour fruit - the owner of a transparent amber pulp with a slight lemon aroma and a large number of small, bitter seeds. Vinegar, marinades for fish and meat, seasonings, desserts, alcoholic and soft drinks. Zest is used to flavor confectionery.


Calamansi or musky lime is a citrus fruit, similar in shape to a miniature spherical lime. The taste is clearly felt a combination of mandarin and lemon. It is considered the oldest citrus fruit, which served as an ancestor for many representatives. Valued in the Philippines. The fruit is used in cooking as an alternative to lemon or lime.

Calamondin (Citrofortunella)


Despite the fact that the plant is also called the dwarf orange, there is no direct relationship between citruses. The citrus fruit comes from the mandarin and the kumquat. The tree was discovered in Southeast Asia, spread throughout the world due to its unpretentiousness to temperature conditions. Citrofortunella can be grown at home as an ornamental plant. The fruits are small, round, similar to a small tangerine. Everything in this fruit is edible, even the orange thin peel that protects the sugar pulp. Jam and candied fruits are prepared from juicy mini-citrus with an unusual taste. Juice acts as an excellent marinade and addition to second courses.


The citrus fruit is called the sour orange, for its appearance and properties inherited from its ancestors: lemon and orange. Citrus looks like a weighty wrinkled lemon. Beneath the thick, warm yellow rind is orange flesh with a subtle, subtle citrus scent. Due to the unusual bitter-sour taste, the fruit is not eaten raw. Candied fruits and marmalade are prepared from it, juice is used as a seasoning. Seeds, leaves, flowers and rinds are used as raw materials for the preparation of oils used in cooking and perfumery.

The plant often decorates the urban landscape, or citrus fruits with an underdeveloped root system are moved to it. In folk medicine, karna is considered a drug against diseases of the circulatory, respiratory system and gastrointestinal tract.


Additional fruit names are Kombava citrus. This citrus with inedible sour pulp reaches about 4 cm in diameter. The dense wrinkled lime-colored zest is extremely rarely used in cooking. It may seem that citrus fruit does not have special significance for humans. This is wrong. The plant is valued mainly for its dark green foliage. Traditional Thai, Indonesian, Cambodian, and also Malay dishes cannot do without it. Tom Yum soup is not possible without fragrant leaves with spicy sourness.


A Japanese citrus fruit grown as an ornamental plant. Bitter orange or canaliculata is the result of crossing an orange and a grapefruit. The sandy-orange fruits are considered inedible for their strong sour and unpleasant bitter taste.


This is the sweetest hybrid of mandarin and orange created by Pierre Clementin in the early 20th century. Outwardly, citrus is similar to tangerine, it is distinguished by a rich saffron color and a matte smoothness of the peel. Juicy, fragrant pulp surpasses its ancestors in sweetness, contains many seeds. The fruits are consumed fresh, in cooking they are used similarly to ancestral fruits.


An unusual citrus fruit is a hybrid of Fingerlime and limandarin Rangupr. Citrus was first discovered in Australia in 1990. Small fruits have a rich red-burgundy color. Blood limes are slightly sweeter than lemons and are eaten fresh and cooked.


Citrus is also called Australian, which is associated with the place of growth. Rounded greenish fruits, thick skin, light, almost transparent flesh. Candied fruit is prepared from the fruit, drinks are decorated and essential oil is obtained.


A miniature citrus fruit classified as a separate subgenus Fortunella. , or Kinkan reaches only 4 cm in length and 2 cm in diameter. Citrus originated in Southeast Asia, earning it the name Japanese and Golden orange. In fact, it looks like a small lemon with a rounded top. The slightly acidic flesh is paired with an edible honey rind. The fruit is eaten as an independent product, added to sweet dishes and baked with other products.


Most often, it is the Mexican lime that is mistaken for a representative of this citrus. It is depicted on the labels of drinks and products that include lime. Lime green neat fruit with a very acidic, translucent pulp. much more acidic than lemon, used in cooking for similar purposes. A fragrant essential oil is extracted from the zest and seeds. Ripe fruits always look weighty for their size.


Limetta is still a subject of controversy among breeders and citrus lovers. It is not known which fruits belong to the ancestors of citrus. Sweet or Italian lime is classified as both a lime and a lemon. It is possible that limetta originated from these fruits. The spherical pink-orange fruit is slightly flattened, pointed at the tip. The pulp is sweet, sour, pleasant in aroma. Drinks are prepared from citrus fruit, including alcoholic drinks, canned or turned into dried fruits.


A colorful citrus fruit, also called limonella, is a delicious hybrid of lime and kumquat, obtained in the early 20th century. Small, yellow-green oval fruit originated in China. The peel is edible sweet, the pulp with appetizing bitterness. Citrus makes refreshing drinks, lean dishes with an incredibly pleasant aroma.


Habitual and familiar to everyone, yellow, sour citrus is an ancient natural hybrid, originally from South Asia. There are versions that lemons are descended from lime and citron or orange and lime. In any case, these are healthy citruses - sources of vitamin C. The fruits are oval, yellow, with a narrowed top. Pulp with bones. Acidity varies by variety and growing conditions. There are many options for consuming citrus: eaten raw, preparing marinades, sauces, added to many dishes.


A beautiful, fragrant lemon got its name in honor of the Chinese city of Yichang. This is one of the rare types of citrus fruits that adorn the cities of Europe. Citrus fruit is resistant to adverse climatic conditions, decorated with yellow, light green and orange-orange fruits. Greenish beautiful foliage fits perfectly into the urban landscape. Flat fruits, similar to Kaffir lime, have a rich sour taste, so they are rarely eaten raw. In cooking, it replaces the usual lemon.


Meyer lemon (Meyer) or Chinese lemon is a hybrid of an ordinary lemon with an orange. It was discovered by Frank Meyer at the beginning of the 20th century. In China, citrus fruit is grown at home. Meyer lemon is distinguished by its large size, rich warm color and pleasant taste, appreciated by gourmets around the world.

Limandarin Rangpur


From the name it is clear that this is a hybrid of lemon and tangerine, from which it inherited its taste and appearance, respectively. First found in the city of Rangpur. The plant is used as a rootstock and decorates the urban interior with it. In cooking, it is used as a lemon, serves as an ingredient for the preparation of candied fruits and marmalade, and is added to juices for flavoring.

Otahite is a sweet rangpur discovered in Tahiti in 1813. It has a cloying taste when compared with other limandarins.


Sweet mandarin - a guest from southern China, is now grown in Asia and the Mediterranean countries. The fruit is round, slightly flattened, with a saffron-orange thin skin and sugary flesh. Depending on the variety, color and taste vary. The fruit is eaten fresh, many dishes, sauces and desserts are prepared, drinks and pastries are flavored.

Noble mandarin or royal mandarin


A citrus fruit with a noticeable, memorable appearance. It is a tangor - a hybrid of mandarin and sweet orange. Kunenbo or Cambodian mandarin came from Southwest China and Northeast India. Outwardly, it looks like an “aged” tangerine, a dark orange wrinkled, porous peel fits snugly to the slices, slightly outlining their contour. Rarely found on our shelves. The pulp is very sweet, with a lot of juice and a pleasant aroma. Noble mandarin is eaten on its own, or added to drinks and canned. The peel is used to flavor sweets and liqueurs.

Mandarin Unshio


Like many tangerines, Unshio (Inshiu, Satsuma) appeared in China, from where it spread to the countries of Southeast Asia. Citrus fruit is productive and adapts to low temperatures, therefore it is presented in European countries as an element of landscape design. Many mandarins imported to Russia belong to this variety.

The fruit is yellow-orange in color, round, slightly flattened from the top. The juicy pulp easily separates from a peel, does not contain seeds. Yingshiu is sweeter than regular tangerine, similar in use.


A hybrid of mandarin and kumquat is also called Orangequat. An attractive plant with an alluring sweet fragrance. The fruits are oval in shape, slightly elongated, similar to a kumquat enlarged at times. The sweet, edible rind ranges from orange to deep red-pink. The pulp is juicy, with a pleasant sour taste and slight bitterness. Mandarinokvat has a unique taste, which gives scope for gastronomic use. Marmalade and candied fruits are prepared from it, alcohol is flavored.


One of the representatives of the citron, which will be discussed later. It has a pleasant sweetness and less acidity. It grows in Morocco, ideal for making marmalade and candied fruit.


Delicious citrus fruit, obtained by the labors of breeders in 1931. Named after the city of the same name where it was bred. We can safely say that this is an excellent combination of tangerine and grapefruit. Rounded red-orange fruits with a slightly elongated top, reminiscent in shape. The skin is thin, but strong, easily peeled off. The pulp is sweet and sour, with a small amount of seeds. - a storehouse of folic acid, necessary for human health. Eaten fresh, squeeze the juice and add to pastries. Essential oil and peel flavor alcoholic beverages.


Citrus with a "murmuring name" is also referred to as honey. Murcott or Marcott was developed by scientists in the United States almost 100 years ago by crossing an orange with a tangerine. Today, the sweet citrus fruit has spread throughout the world and is even grown at home. The fruit is identical to the tangerine, surpassing it in sweetness and aroma. The only drawback is the excessive number of seeds, of which there are about 30. It is mainly used fresh.


Natural descendant of bitter orange and pomelo, found in the 17th century in the land of the rising sun. It looks like a large, elongated pear-shaped lemon. The crusts are light yellow, dense, easy to peel off. The filling is not juicy enough, with a persistent sour taste. Despite the strange gastronomic combination, citrus fruit can be eaten as an independent product.


Despite the name, citrus is not a grapefruit at all. Presumably, this is a descendant of pomelo and grapefruit or natural tangelo. The place of origin is also unknown.

Compared to grapefruit, the fruit is smaller and much sweeter. Thin light green-yellow skin with slight wrinkles, easily removed, exposing fragrant orange-pink flesh. Citrus makes delicious juice. The addition of citrus enriches the taste light meals, barely perceptible bitterness.


So called the descendants of grapefruit and orange. The most popular representative is Chironha, discovered in the mountains of Puerto Rico in the fifties of the last century. The fruits are lemon-orange in color, the size of a grapefruit, slightly elongated. The pulp is very close to orange in taste. The fruit is canned, candied fruits are made from it, or the pulp is eaten with a small spoon, after cutting it in half.


The famous tangor is the result of a mixture of tangerine and orange, found in 1920 in Jamaica. Citrus fruit is also called tambor and mandora. The fruit is larger than a tangerine, with a thick orange-reddish skin. Pulp with a lot of juice and seeds, at the same time combines the taste qualities of predecessor fruits. Eaten fresh and used in cooking.


One of the memorable, unusual plants, originally from Eastern Australia. Fingerlime resembles a finger or a small thin cucumber: an oval, oblong fruit, about 10 cm. Under the thin skin of different colors (from transparent yellow to red-pink), the flesh of the corresponding shade is hidden. The shape of the contents is similar to fish eggs, has a sour taste and a persistent citrus aroma. The original is added to ready meals and decorate them.


Ancient plants that scientists believe are the ancestors of many citrus fruits, including the kumquat and lime. Green fruits with thick wrinkled skin are covered with dark spots. The pulp is dense, rich in aromatic oil, therefore it is inedible. Papeda is resistant to frost, often used for citrus rootstocks with an underdeveloped root system.


plant with very interesting origin. Tahiti lime, as it is also called, is the result of crossing three fruits: sweet lemon, grapefruit and micro-citrus. A small rich green oval-shaped fruit with yellow-green flesh. First discovered in the United States, grown in countries with a subtropical climate. Persian lime is used to flavor confectionery and alcoholic products.


A large citrus that came from the shores of Asia and China. It is also called Pompelmus (Portuguese for "swollen lemon") and Sheddock (after the captain who brought the seeds to western India).

The fruit is large, yellow, similar to grapefruit, reaches 10 kg in weight. Under the thick fragrant and oily peel contains a dryish pulp, separated by bitter partitions. The contents are yellow, light green and red. Pompelmus is much sweeter than grapefruit. It is eaten fresh, included as an ingredient in various dishes. Eg, National cuisine China and Thailand is not complete without this product.


So we got to the bitter orange, which is also called Bigaradia and Chinotto. This is a natural hybrid of mandarin and pomelo, inedible due to the specific sour taste. The Asian citrus fruit is mainly valued for its aromatic zest. Today grown in the Mediterranean, found only as cultivated plant. In many countries, the orange has been domesticated and planted in pots, decorate houses and apartments. Round, shriveled fruits are covered with a red-orange skin. It peels off easily, releasing a pleasant lemon-orange flesh. Jam and marmalade are prepared from the fruit, drinks and pastries are flavored with zest. The ground peel is used as a spicy spice. Essential oil is used in medicine, cosmetology, and perfumery.


Citrus fruit is considered the most delicious tangerine in the world, also referred to as Suntara or Golden Citrus. Born in the mountains of India and widely distributed in countries with a suitable hot climate. In some countries it is grown as a houseplant for decoration. Orange smooth fruit with a thin skin and sugar, incredibly fragrant pulp. Eat and use like a normal tangerine.


This plant is the closest relative of the lemon, also called Trifoliata, the wild and rough-skinned lemon. Since ancient times, poncirus has grown in northern China. Frost resistant, often used as rootstock. Small yellow fruits are covered with soft fluff. Elastic, dense skin is peeled off badly. The pulp is oily, strongly bitter, therefore it is not used in cooking.

Rangeron (Tashkent lemon)


A variety of lemons bred in Tashkent, for which it is also called the Tashkent lemon. Smooth, rounded fruit has a pleasant citrus smell with a slight hint of pine needles. Inside and out, the fruit is painted in a warm, rich orange color. The skin is sweet and edible. It tastes like an orange with a delicate sourness.


In fact, these are the names of different fruits. Oroblanco was bred in the USA in 1970 by hybridizing pomelo and grapefruit. In 1984, Israeli scientists recrossed the new plant with a grapefruit and produced a fruit that was superior in sweetness, after which they named Sweety. Both citrus fruits are also referred to as pomelit.

Light yellow or greenish fruits are covered with a bitter, thick peel. The pulp of a delicate, yellow-beige color is divided into slices and framed by a bitter film. Virtually no seeds. Sweets are eaten like a grapefruit, cut in half and taking out sweet grains with a teaspoon. Like many citrus fruits, it is used to prepare unusual dishes and candied fruits. Essential oil is popular for making perfume compositions.


The fruit belongs to the bitter oranges, grows in Seville. Outwardly similar to a mandarin, slightly larger in size. It is not consumed on its own due to an unpleasant taste. It is used for the preparation of marmalade, flavoring of alcoholic products, and also as a rootstock.


Japanese citrus fruit obtained by combining paped and tangerine. Sudachi looks like a slightly rounded, green mandarin, covered with a dense peel. The pulp is comparable to a lime: light green, juicy, overly acidic. Juice is used instead of vinegar, marinades and sauces are prepared from it, drinks and desserts are flavored.


A very sour tangerine that comes from China. Small citrus fruits are flattened, packed in an orange-yellow thin skin. The pulp is very acidic, therefore it is not used in its natural form, it serves as a product for the preparation of desserts, marinades and candied fruits. The Sunkata tree is used as a rootstock.


A group of citrus fruits derived from sweet mandarin (tangerine) and orange is called Tangor. The most famous representatives - Ortanik and Murcott are described in detail in the article.


It is worth saying that "tangerine" does not apply to botanical terms and plant classification. This is a variety of very sweet tangerines grown in China and the United States. The fruit is rich orange in color, easily peeled from a thin peel. The pulp is juicy, pitted. Eat and use like a normal tangerine.


Citrus fruits, which appeared from tangerine (sweet tangerine) and grapefruit, are called Tangelo. The first plant was obtained in 1897 in the states. One of the brightest representatives is Mineola. Most Tangelos do not grow naturally and require hand pollination. All fruits are large in size and have a sweet taste.


Descendant of orange and mandarin, bred on the island of Taiwan. It is considered the most delicious oriental citrus. Tankan differs from mandarin in bright red color. The skin is thin and easy to peel off. The pulp is slightly sugary, juicy, smells delicious. Citrus fruit is used in Japanese cuisine.

Thomasville (Citranzhquat)


The name itself indicates the ancestors of the plant. Obviously, this is a descendant of kumquat and citrange. The first fruits were obtained in 1923, in the US city of the same name. The citrus fruit looks like a small, pear-shaped lemon with a thin skin. It can be used in different ways, depending on the degree of maturity. Ripe fruits, similar in taste to lime, are used in a similar way. Replace lemon with green citranium.


African cherry oranges are also called Citropsis, Frocitrus. The plant lives in Africa. Small orange fruits resemble tangerines, they smell very tasty. The pulp hides from 1 to 3 large seeds. Citrus fruit is consumed like mandarin, used in folk medicine in Africa. Also, this plant is considered the strongest aphrodisiac.


The result of the hybridization of lemon and tangerine, the appearance and taste of which confuses many people. The fruit looks like an orange lemon, and tastes like a sweet and sour tangerine. Like both parents, it is used in cooking.


Another interesting citrus fruit derived from sweet orange and poncirus. Citrange is similar to citrandarine, slightly larger, with a smooth surface. The taste is not the most pleasant, so the fruit is not eaten fresh. It serves as a raw material for the preparation of jam and marmalade.


One of the oldest citrus fruits with the largest fruits and thickest skin. Cedrat, as it is called, was the first citrus brought to Europe.

The citrus fruit looks like a large, elongated lemon with a characteristic soft color. The peel reaches 2-5 cm, occupies about half of the volume. The pulp is sour, cloying or slightly bitter can be felt. Fresh fruit is usually not eaten. The filling is suitable for making jam, and the massive shell goes for candied fruits. An essential oil is also obtained from citron, which is used in many industries.


The original and memorable citron "Buddha's fingers". Due to an unknown anomaly, the fruit sprouts do not fuse together, forming a fruit that looks like a human hand. Fruits of yellow-beige color contain many seeds and a minimum of pulp. The fruit smells very good. Candied fruits, marmalade and jam are prepared from the zest, grind it and add it as a seasoning to the main dishes.


Japanese citrus with a very interesting taste, the result of crossing tangerine and grapefruit. Large lemon-colored fruits with a very thick skin. The pulp is sour, does not have sweetness, but on the contrary, it is slightly bitter due to partitions. The fruit is eaten fresh, like grapefruit.

Citrus halimii


Citrus halimii (Mountain Citron) is a very little known fruit from Southeast Asia. It grows in the Malaysian peninsula and the adjacent peninsula of Thailand and some isolated Indonesian islands. It contains sour fruits. In Thailand, it grows in the rain forests of the southern regions between altitudes of 900 to 1800 m. In fact, this fruit was identified by botanists not so long ago. It was described for the first time in 1973.

Medieval tree up to 10 m high with rosehip thorns. The leaves are oval, 8-15 cm long. Flowers white, fragrant, 1-2 cm. Fruits are round, small 5-7 cm wide, edible, sour, thick, 6 mm, tightly connected to the flesh, orange at maturity, yellow-green segments, flesh less juicy. Seeds are large, up to 2 cm, many.

Mountain citrus fruits sour. They are used as nutrients such as lemons in salads and other culinary preparations in Southeast Asia. Mountain citron is collected only from wild ones. It is not cultivated. Many times people simply protect the plant to have in their home gardens.