Thousands of fruit species grow on Earth, but we are familiar with only a small fraction of them. There are some rare, exotic fruits in the world, almost impossible to find in northern latitudes. If you've traveled to tropical countries, you've seen the wide variety of local fruits. In this article, you'll learn about some of the rarest and most amazing fruits in the world.
1. Jackfruit
The fruits of this evergreen tree are the largest trees, reaching up to a meter in length and weighing up to 34 kg. The thick skin is studded with small cone-shaped protrusions. Inside, the fruit contains sweet, fibrous pulp, divided into large segments. Each segment contains a single seed up to 6 cm long. Cutting a ripe jackfruit is not a pleasant task. The peel has an unpleasant odor, similar to rotten onions. Jackfruit skin also contains sticky latex, so cutting it requires wearing rubber gloves or oiling your hands first. The tasty pulp has a short shelf life, so exporting this fruit is not advisable. Jackfruit grows in Southeast Asia, the Philippines, northern Brazil, and eastern Africa (Kenya, Uganda). It is less common to find it planted on the islands of Oceania and in the tropics of the New World.
2. Passion fruit
This tropical vine is cultivated primarily in tropical regions (South and Central America, South Asia, New Zealand, Australia, etc.). Its fruits contain a juicy, delicious juice filled with numerous seeds! Passion fruit is used in a variety of dishes, from desserts to soft drinks. The juice is also used as an aromatic flavor enhancer and added to other fruit juices. Passion fruit juice is very beneficial—it has sedative properties. It is also used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
3. Aki
Ackee is a tree growing 10-12 meters tall, native to West Africa. The tree produces pear-shaped fruits, 7-10 cm long, covered in an orange rind. When ripe, the fruit splits open. Its pulp is edible and tastes similar to walnuts. The only place where ackee is eaten is Jamaica. It is even considered a national dish, although it was introduced to the island by humans. Unripe ackee fruits are highly toxic, so they are used in many countries as antibacterial soap or as a fish poison.
4. Cocoon
This fruiting shrub is native to the Amazon basin of South America. However, it is now cultivated in many Latin American countries. Cocona fruits are round or oval, up to 6 cm long, and have a bitter skin and sweet flesh. The fruits are usually peeled and used in salads and sauces, but they can also be eaten fresh. They are often used to make jams, jellies, juices, and marmalades. The flavor of cocona is reminiscent of a cross between tomato and lemon.
5. Mamoncillo
This fruit tree is also known as the Spanish lime. The momoncillo is native to Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana, Colombia, Guyana, and Haiti. However, it is also grown in other countries, such as Ecuador, the Antilles, the Bahamas, and Central America. The fruit has a smooth, thin, green rind. Inside the fruit is a jelly-like, juicy pulp and two seeds. The momoncillo has a wonderfully refreshing flavor and can be eaten plain. It is also used as a flavoring for desserts and cocktails. This fruit has a very short shelf life, so it is recommended to eat it immediately after picking.
6. Bail
Bael is a fruit tree, also known as the stone apple or marmelos. It is native to India, although it can be found throughout Southeast Asia. The tree produces large, round or pear-shaped fruits up to 20 cm long with a thin but firm rind ranging from gray-green to yellowish. Inside, the fruit contains a doughy pulp. It is the bael pulp that is edible. Bael pulp is rich in beneficial microelements, has beneficial effects on the digestive system, and has anti-inflammatory properties. One large bael fruit can contain enough pulp to yield up to 6 liters of juice.
7. Mangosteen
The mangosteen (Mangosteen) is the fruit of the tree of the same name, native to Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, the Antilles, Colombia, tropical Africa, and Central America. Mangosteens are covered in a thick rind containing sticky latex. They are 4-8 cm long. Beneath the rind are several segments of white edible pulp. The pulp is eaten fresh or preserved. Mangosteen juice is often squeezed. Mangosteens have a sweet and tangy flavor.
8. Kiwano
A unique-looking fruit, also known as the horned melon or African cucumber, it grows on a herbaceous vine in the gourd family. It grows in California, New Zealand, Central America, and Israel, although its native land is Africa. It thrives in hot climates. In some areas of the Kalahari Desert, the kiwano is the only source of water. Its flavor is somewhere between cucumber, banana, and lemon. It contains a lot of vitamin C and dietary fiber.
9. Rambutan
This is the fruit of the evergreen tropical tree of the same name, native to Southeast Asia. Rambutan fruits are round, up to 6 cm in size, and grow several on a branch. They are covered with a thick rind, which, however, is easily separated from the pulp. The pulp is soft and gelatinous, very aromatic, and tastes very similar to sweet grapes. The fruits are eaten fresh or preserved. They contain many beneficial microelements, including iron, phosphorus, vitamin C, and others. Rambutan seeds are poisonous, but can be eaten after roasting. The oil from the seeds is used to make candles and soap.
10. Pitaya (Pitahaya)
Pitaya (Pitahaya) is a fruit that grows from an exotic cactus of the genus Hylocereus. There are several varieties of pitaya—white, red, and yellow—all very closely related. These fruits are native to Mexico, but are also grown in China, Southeast Asia, South America, Israel, and North America. Pitaya's taste can be compared to a cross between a strawberry and a pear. Research suggests that pitaya possesses anti-cancer properties due to the presence of polyphenols. The pulp is eaten raw; it is low in calories. It is not recommended to consume the pulp with other dishes. Pitaya can also be used to make fresh juices or to add pitaya juice to other beverages.
11. Mauritius palm
The fruits of the Mauritius palm resemble spruce cones in appearance. They grow in humid regions of South America. The fruits have a scaly shell, beneath which lies yellow pulp rich in vitamin C and vitamin A. The fruits of the Mauritius palm are widely used to make jams, jellies, juices, and even fermented wines. The fruit juice is used as a healing agent for all types of burns. It is especially effective in treating sunburn.
12. Monstera deliciosa
Sounds a bit scary, doesn't it? And for good reason. The fruit of this large vine is highly toxic, but only during ripening. After maturation (which takes one year), it can be used as food. This plant is native to the tropical regions of South America, but is also cultivated in India, Australia, and other hot countries. Monstera fruits are berries up to 30 cm long, with a thick rind and juicy, aromatic flesh. Monstera fruits have a banana-pineapple flavor and are eaten as a dessert.
13. Akebia
You can find this unusual lilac-purple fruit in gardens in northern Japan. Many locals grow it in their gardens, much like our wild grapes, which cover their supports with a dense carpet of leaves. When the akebia fruit reaches maturity, one of its walls "opens." This happens only once a year—at the very beginning of autumn. The sticky, slightly sweet flesh is eaten like a fruit, while the bitter, thick skin is more reminiscent of a vegetable. However, the Japanese, not distinguishing between these flavors, eat the akebia whole.
14. Jabuticaba
Researchers claim that the jaboticaba originally grew in southern Brazil, but then migrated across the ocean and spread to Portugal and the Philippines. Its main peculiarity is that the dark purple, almost black fruits grow not on branches, but directly on the trunk of the tree, which locals sometimes call "grape." The juicy "balls" with a wild grape flavor can be eaten immediately or made into juice, jam, or liqueur. Unfortunately, you won't be able to delight your relatives with this unusual souvenir from a distant land—the jaboticaba has virtually no shelf life and begins to spoil quickly within a day of harvesting.
15. Cherimoya
Another Latin American immigrant is the scaly cherimoya. You may have seen these green, peeled balls on the shelves of Spanish or Asian markets, while in Egypt, the slightly smaller, unpeeled fruits are sold under the name "eshta." When you cut open the fruit, you'll find several dark seeds, which are best removed (as they're considered an excellent emetic), while the flavor of the delicate, aromatic flesh (which some say resembles melon with cream, others papaya) deserves every praise. For example, Mark Twain called the cherimoya "the most delicious fruit known to man.".
16. Cupuacu
The large (up to 25 centimeters long!) cupuaçu fruit can be found in the tropical rainforests of Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, and northern Brazil. It grows on trees and, when ripe, turns a deep crimson. Beneath the hard shell lies a delicate pulp, fragrant with a mixture of chocolate and pineapple, which is eaten raw, made into jams and drinks, and added to yogurts and ice cream. The light-colored seeds, similar to cocoa beans, can be used to make "chocolate" that won't melt in your hands.
17. Annatto
In tropical regions of North and South America, as well as Southeast Asia, you can find large, reddish-brown, spiky fruits with round, crimson seeds inside. It's difficult to say what they taste like because, unlike the other fruits we're discussing today, annatto is inedible. However, its bright ruby seeds make a wonderful food coloring, which you've likely encountered in everything from lipstick to cheddar cheese.
18. Magic Fruit
This West African fruit truly has magical properties: the substance miraculin it contains can affect the human taste buds. Eat a red berry (remember to spit out the seed!), and for about an hour, you'll be unable to distinguish sour tastes, and any food, even lemons, will taste sweet.
19. Durian
Perhaps the most controversial fruit of all. On the one hand, its aroma is so repulsive that it's even banned from public places. But those who have overcome their revulsion and tried the flesh of this fruit say they've never tasted anything more delicious.
20. Buddha's Hand
This fruit "octopus" resembles a mutated lemon with a very thick rind. Sometimes, it has nothing but the rind. You can't squeeze juice out of it, and it doesn't have seeds. What's it good for? It's used as a household talisman, as it is in China, for example.
21. Pandanus
Another name for the plant is the screw palm. These unusual fruits, among other things, are very versatile in their uses: they can be used to make paint and as food.
22. Snake fruit
The fruit's skin is remarkably similar to that of some kind of reptile. This is where the name comes from. Underneath, the fruit resembles an onion or a large clove of garlic, but it contains sweet and aromatic flesh with a distinctive flavor. However, getting to the flesh isn't easy: the skin is very prickly.
23. Pitanga
Although this is a wild berry, its cultivation is gradually being adopted in many countries. It is very similar to a common cherry, only more ribbed. It also ripens much faster—three weeks after flowering.
24. Chinese strawberry
These pimply balls hardly look like strawberries. They look more like candied round candies that, for some reason, grow on trees. And the taste is quite distinctive. So much so that the trees often serve merely as decorations in parks and gardens. In short, it's unclear why this fruit was called a strawberry.
25. Star fruit (carambola)
And here's where the name comes from: the fruit, when cut, resembles a perfect five-pointed star. It comes in sweet and sour varieties. The sour variety is used in salads. The sweet variety can be eaten plain; the fruit tastes like a mixture of lemon, mango, and grape.
26. Forbidden Rice
This is a type of black rice grown in China. Originally black, it turns dark purple when cooked. It has a nutty flavor and is very healthy due to its high micronutrient content. It got its name because it was once reserved for the royal family.
27. Watermelon radish
It's as if a regular radish had been turned inside out: white on the outside, red on the inside. The root is quite large—about the size of a baseball. It's closely related to cabbage, which is why it tastes slightly bitter. Sliced radishes actually resemble small watermelon wedges, especially when served sprinkled with sesame seeds.
28. Blue Corn (Hopi)
This is a special variety of corn, notable for its unusual color. In ancient times, blue corn was cultivated by the Hopi Indian people, who gave it its name. Although blue corn has been around for several thousand years, for some reason it is not very popular today. It is sweeter and has a nutty flavor, though.
29. Romanescu (coral cabbage)
This isn't just cabbage, but a true natural visual aid to fractals. Closer in relationship to cauliflower, but more tender and delicious. Everyone will love this vegetable, even those who don't like cabbage. Just appreciate its appearance!
30. Canistel (egg fruit)
The fruit comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. They can be round, oval, or heart-shaped. Its color can range from the lightest shades of yellow to pale orange. Whether it's a fruit or a vegetable is up to you. On the one hand, it tastes like sweet potato and can be added to soups and salads. On the other hand, it's eaten fresh, with ice cream, and in fruit desserts.