12 Exotic Tropical Fruits: How Many of These Have You Tasted?

Here are other exotic fruits from the tropical regions of the world you might want to eat before you

say goodbye to our Beloved Mother Earth.

1. Burmese Grapes or Baccaurea ramiflora

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The Burmese grape is found throughout Asia, most commonly cultivated in India and Malaysia. The fruit is

harvested and used locally, eaten as a fruit, stewed or made into wine; it is also used medicinally to treat s

kin diseases. The bark, roots and wood are harvested for medicinal uses.

2. Korlan or Nephelium hypoleucum

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Korlan is a fruit that is closely related to several other tropical fruits including the lychee, longans, rambutan,

and mamoncillo. The fruit is a round to oval drupe borne in a loose pendant cluster. The seed is most likely

poisonous.

3. Custard Apple or Annona reticulata

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Anonas in our language is Custard Apple in English. It is also called Bullock's Heart or Bull's Heart. This tree is native

of the tropical New World that prefers low elevations, and a warm, humid climate. It also occurs as feral populations in

many parts of the world including Southeast Asia, Taiwan, India, Australia, and Africa

4. Cherimoya or Annona cherimola

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Cherimoya is a species of Annona native to the Andean-highland valleys of Ecuador and Peru. It is a deciduous or

semi-evergreen shrub or small tree reaching 7 m tall.  Mark Twain called the cherimoya "the most delicious fruit known

to men."

5. Jackfruit or Artocarpus heterophyllus

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The jackfruit or "langka" in our language is a species of tree of the mulberry family native to parts of South and Southeast

Asia. It is well suited to tropical lowlands. Its fruit is the largest tree borne fruit in the world, seldom less than about 25 cm

(10 in) in diameter. The jackfruit is something of an acquired taste, but it is very popular in many parts of the world.

6. Bulala or Nephelium mutabile

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This fruit is called "bulala" in the Philippines in Malay: pulasan or kapulasan. The pulasan is closely allied to the

rambutan and sometimes confused with it. In the Philippines where it is mostly known as bulala it is usually eaten

fresh, it is a delicious tropical fruit, sweeter than the rambutan and lychee, but very rare outside of Southeast Asia.

7. Eggfruit or Pouteria lucuma

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Tyesa in our language is called lucuma or eggfruit, a fruit native to the dry subtropical Andean coastal valleys of Peru;

introduced later in other South American countries. It grows at temperate elevations, between 1,000-2,400 meters. The

largest concentration of this fruit is found in Peruvian Lucuma is a fruit that is very nutritious, having high levels of

carotene and vitamin B3. The lucuma is exported all around the world. In some countries it is one of the most popular

ice-cream flavors.

8. Camachile or Pithecellobium dulce

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Camachile is a flowering plant native to Central and northern South America. It is introduced and extensively

naturalized in the Caribbean, Florida, Guam, Philippines and other Sotheast Asia country. The English names

Manila Tamarind and "monkeypod" are misleading - it is not very closely related to tamarind and not native

to Manila either, while "monkeypod" is more commonly used for the Rain Tree (Albizia saman). We have

plenty of this in our farm. Actually, this kind of tree grow well anywhere.

9. Sugar Apple or Annona squamosa

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Atis is an edible fruit called sugar-apple, species of the genus Annona more willing to grow at lower altitudes than

its relatives making it the most widely cultivated of these species. We have two atis plant right in front of our yard. It's a

delicious fruit and the tree bear fruits almost all-year round.

10. Mamey Sapote or Pouteria sapota

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Mamey Sapote is a species of tree that is native to southern Mexico and because it was once a colony of

Spain it was brought also in the Philippines which happen to be a colony of Spain as well. Like most fruit

trees, it is mainly propagated by grafted, which ensures that the new plant has the same characteristics as

the parent, especially its fruit. It is also considerably faster than growing trees by seed.

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11. Chico or Manilkara zapota

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Another fruit that I like best is Sapodilla or Chico in our language. It is a long-lived, evergreen tree native to the

New World tropics. It is a native of Mexico and was introduced to the Philippines during Spanish colonization.

We don't have a Chico tree but my childhood friend have plenty of them in their backyard.

12. Water Melon or Citrullus lanatus

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This is one of the best fruits to eat during summer time. It really quenches your thirst. Watermelon is

originally from southern Africa and one of the most common types of melon. The watermelon fruit has a

smooth exterior rind (green and yellow) and a juicy, sweet, usually pink, red, or yellow, but sometimes orange,

interior flesh.

For more exotic and vitamin-rich fruits see

12 Vitamin-Rich Exotic Fruits from the Philippines (And Other Tropical Areas)