List of fruits
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Temperate fruits
Fruits of temperate climates are almost universally borne on trees or woody shrubs or lianas. They will not grow adequately in the tropics, as they need a period of cold (a chilling requirement) each year before they will flower. The apple, pear, cherry, and plum are the most widely grown and eaten, owing to their adaptability. Many other fruits are important regionally but do not figure prominently in commerce. Many sorts of small fruit on this list are gathered from the wild, just as they were in Neolithic times.
Rosaceae family
The Family Rosaceae dominates the temperate fruits, both in numbers and in importance. The pome fruits, stone fruits, brambles, strawberry, and rose-hip are fruits of plants in Rosaceae.The pome fruits:
- Apple and crabapple (Malus)
- Chokeberry also called cooking apple (Aronia)
- Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)
- Hawthorn (Crataegus)
- Juneberry or saskatoon (Amelanchier)
- Loquat (Eryobotrya japonica)
- Medlar (Mespilus germanica)
- Pear, European and Asian species (Pyrus)
- Quince (Cydonia oblonga and Chaenomeles)
- Rowan (Sorbus)
- Service tree (Sorbus domestica), bears a fruit known as a sorb or sorb apple
- Rose-hip, the fruitlike base of roses (Rosa); used mostly for jams and herbal tea
- Apricot (Prunus armeniaca or Armeniaca vulgaris)
- Cherry, sweet, sour, and wild species (Prunus avium, P. cerasus, and others)
- Plum, of which there are several domestic and wild species; dried plums are called prunes
- Peach (of the normal and white variety) and its variant the nectarine (Prunus persica)
- Hybrids of the preceding species, such as the pluot
Berries
In non-technical usage, berry means any small fruit that can be eaten whole and lacks objectionable seeds. The bramble fruits, compound fruits of genus Rubus (blackbarries), are some of the most popular pseudo-berries:
- Blackberry, of which there are many species and hybrids, such as dewberry, boysenberry, and loganberry (genus Rubus)
- Raspberry, several species (genus Rubus)
- Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus)
- Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius)
- Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)
- Bearberry (Arctostaphylos spp.)
- Bilberry or whortleberry (Vaccinium spp.)
- Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.)
- Cranberry (Vaccinium spp.)
- Huckleberry (Vaccinium spp.)
- Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)
- Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo)
- Barberry (Berberis; Berberidaceae)
- Currant (Ribes spp.; Grossulariaceae), red, black, and white types
- Elderberry (Sambucus; Caprifoliaceae)
- Gooseberry (Ribes spp.; Grossulariaceae)
- Hackberry (Celtis spp.; Cannabaceae)
- Honeysuckle: the berries of some species (called honeyberries) are edible, others are poisonous (Lonicera spp.; Caprifoliaceae)
- Nannyberry or sheepberry (Viburnum spp.; Caprifoliaceae)
- Sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides; Elaeagnaceae)
- Sea Grape (Coccoloba uvifera; Polygonaceae)
- Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum, Lycium spp.; Solanaceae)
- Crowberry (Empetrum spp.; Empetraceae)
- Mulberry (Morus spp.; Moracaceae)
Fruits of Asian origin
Some fruits native to Asia that were not common elsewhere until the 20th century:- Goumi (Elaeagnus multiflora ovata; Elaeagnaceae)
- Kiwi fruit or Chinese gooseberry (Actinidia spp.; Actinidiaceae)
- Persimmon (Diospyros kaki; Ebenaceae)
Fruits of American origin
Some other fruits native to North America that are eaten in a small way:
- American grape: North American species (e.g., Vitis labrusca; Vitaceae) and American-European hybrids are grown where grape (Vitis vinifera) is not hardy and are used as rootstocks
- American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana; Ebenaceae)
- Buffaloberry (Shepherdia argenta; Elaeagnaceae), which grows wild in the prairies of Canada
- Cocoplum (Chrysobalanus icaco; Rosaceae)
- False-mastic (Mastichodendron foetidissimum; Sapotaceae)
- Salal berry (Gaultheria shallon; Ericaceae)
- Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis; Rosaceae)
- Pawpaw (Asimina triloba; Annonaceae, not to be confused with Carica papaya, which is called pawpaw in some English dialects)
- Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus; Rosaceae)
Cacti and other succulents
Several cacti yield edible fruits, which are important traditional foods for some Native American peoples:- Dragonfruit (Hylocereus spp.), also called pitaya
- Prickly pear (Opuntia spp.)
- Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea)
- numerous other species of cacti
Herbaceous annuals fruits
Melons and other members of Curcubitaceae or Solanaceae family
Some exceptions to the statement that temperate fruits grow on woody perennials are:- Melon (Cucumis melo): cantaloupe and other muskmelons, honeydew
- Sunberry or wonderberry (Solanum spp.)
- Watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris)
Accessory fruits
The accessory fruits, seed organs which are not botanically berries at all::
- Strawberry (Fragaria spp.)
Vegetables
A few vegetables are sometimes colloquially, but incorrectly, termed as "fruit" in the kitchen:
- Angelica (Angelica spp.; Apiaceae)
- Rhubarb (Rheum spp.; Polygonaceae): stems used in pies and country wine
Mediterranean and subtropical fruits
Fruits in this category are not hardy to extreme cold, as the preceding temperate fruits are, yet tolerate some frost and may have a modest chilling requirement. Notable among these are natives of the Mediterranean:
- Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas; Cornaceae)
- Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera; Arecaceae)
- Fig (Ficus spp. Moraceae)
- Grape, called raisin, sultana, or currant when she's dried (Vitis spp.; Vitaceae)
- Jujube (Ziziphus zizyphus; Rhamnaceae)
- Black mulberry (Morus nigra; Moraceae)
- Olive (Olea europea; Oleaceae)
- Pomegranate (Punica granatum; Punicaceae)
- Citron (Citrus medica)
- Grapefruit and its predecesor the pummelo (also known as the shaddock) (Citrus paradisi)
- Key Lime (Citrus aurantifolia)
- Lemon (Citrus limon)
- Lime (Citrus aurantifolia x medica) (an important hybrid of the Key Lime and the Citron)
- Mandarin (Citrus reticulata), clementine (Citrus reticulata var. Clementine), tangelo (Citrus tangelo), tangerine, and similar
- Orange, of which there are sweet (Citrus sinensis) and sour (Citrus aurantium) species
- Shiikuwasha, a small, green, and sour fruit used like lemons or made into juice in Okinawa
- Ugli fruit, a hybrid
- Yuzu, a small, green-yellow sour fruit used much like limes or lemons in Japan
- Avocado (Persea americana; Lauraceae)
- Feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana; Myrtaceae)
- Guava (Psidium guajava; Myrtaceae)
- Kumquat (Fortunella spp.; Rutaceae)
- Longan (Euphoria longan; Sapindaceae)
- Lychee (Litchi chinensis; Sapindaceae)
- Passion fruit or Grenadilla (Passiflora edulis and other Passiflora spp.; Passifloraceae)
- Strawberry guava (Psidium litorale); Myrtaceae)
- Tamarillo or Tree Tomato (Cyphomandra betacea; Solanaceae)
Tropical fruits
Tropical fruit grow on plants of all habitats. The only characteristic that they share is an intolerance of frost.
- Acai (Euterpe oleracea; Arecaceae)
- African cherry orange (Citropsis schweinfurthii; Rutaceae)
- Akee (Blighia sapida or Cupania sapida; Sapindaceae)
- Amazon Grape (Pourouma cecropiaefolia; Moraceae)
- Banana and its starchy variant the plantain (Musacea spp.; Musaceae)
- Barbados Cherry (Malpighia glabra L.), also called Acerola, West Indian Cherry
- Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis; Moraceae)
- Burmese grape (Baccaurea sapida; Euphorbiaceae)
- Calabash (Crescentia cujete; Cucurbitaceae)
- CamuCamu (Myrciaria dubia; Myrtaceae), also called guavaberry
- Carambola (Averrhoa carambola), also called star fruit
- Cempedak (Artocarpus champeden; Moraceae)
- Cherimoya (Annona cherimola; Annonaceae)
- Coconut (Cocos spp.; Arecaceae)
- Custard apple (Annona reticulata; Annonaceae), also called Bullock's Heart
- Damson Plum (Chrysophyllum oliviforme; Sapotaceae), also called Satin Leaf
- Dragonfruit (Hylocereus spp.; Cactaceae), also called pitaya
- Durian (Durio spp.; Bombacaceae)
- Eggfruit (Pouteria campechiana; Sapotaceae), also called canistel or yellow sapote
- Elephant apple (Dillenia indica; Dilleniaceae)
- Guarana (Paullinia cupana; Sapindaceae)
- Indian Prune (Flacourtia rukan; Flacourtiaceae)
- Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Moraceae), also called nangka
- Jambo (Eugenia malaccensis; Myrtaceae)
- Jatobá (Hymenae coubaril; ; Leguminosae Caesalpinioideae)
- Jenipapo (Genipa americana; Rubiaceae)
- Keppel fruit (Stelechocarpus burakol; Annonaceae)
- Langsat (Lansium domesticum), also called longkong or duku
- Mabolo, (Diospyros discolor; Ebenaceae) also known as a velvet persimmon
- Mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota; Sapotaceae)
- Mamoncillo (Melicoccus bijugatus; Sapindaceae), also known as quenepa, genip or Fijian Longan
- Mango (Mangifera indica; Anacardiaceae)
- Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana; Gutiferae ou Hypericaceae)
- Marang (Artocarpus odoratissima; Moraceae), a breadfruit relative
- Naranjilla, Lulo (Solanum quitoense; Solanaceae)
- Papaya (Carica papaya; Caricaceae)
- Peanut butter fruit (Bunchosia argentea; Malpighiaceae)
- Pequi (Caryocar brasiliense; Caryocaceae)
- Pineapple (Ananas comosus or Ananas sativas; Bromeliaceae)
- Pitomba (Talisia esculenta ; Sapindaceae)
- Pupunha or peach-palm (Bactris gasipaes; Palmae)
- Poha or Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana; Solanaceae)
- Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum; Sapindiceae)
- Red momblin (Spondias purpurea; Anacardiaceae)
- Rose apple (Eugenia/Syzygium aquem; Myrtaceae), also called Malay apple
- Salak (Salacca edulis), also called snakefruit
- Sapodilla (Achras/Manilkara zapota; Sapotaceae), also called chiku, mespel, naseberry, sapadilla, snake fruit, sawo
- Soursop (Annona muricata; Annonaceae), also called guanabana
- Star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito), also called caimito
- Sugar apple (Annona squamosa; Annonaceae)
- Surinam Cherry (Eugenia uniflora; Myrtaceae) also called Brazilian Cherry, Cayenne Cherry, Pitanga
- Tamarind (Tamarindus indica; Caesalpiniaceae)
Nonedible fruit
- Osage-orange (Maclura pomifera; Moraceae)
- Silverbells (Halesia spp.; Styracaceae)
- Wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus; Celastraceae)
See also
External links
- Citrus (Orange, Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, Naartjie genus)
- Common fruit names
- Fruits of Warm Climates
- Tropical Fruit Database - Trade Winds Fruit
- Rare Fruit Growers of California
- List of fruits
