Tropical and Asian Fruits

A Guide to 100 Tropical and Asian Fruits: Cultivation, Taste, and Production
Tropical and Asian fruits are celebrated for their vibrant flavors, unique textures, and cultural significance. Below is a curated list of 100 fruits, including their cultivation regions, taste profiles, and approximate annual production.

1. Mango (Mangifera indica)

• Cultivation: India, Thailand, Mexico, Philippines
• Taste: Sweet, juicy, sometimes tangy
• Flavor: Tropical, floral, hints of citrus
• Production: ~55 million tons globally (India produces ~20 million tons).

2. Durian (Durio spp.)

• Cultivation: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia
• Taste: Creamy, rich
• Flavor: Sweet with pungent aroma
• Production: Thailand ~700,000 tons annually.

3. Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana)

• Cultivation: Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia
• Taste: Sweet-tart
• Flavor: Citrusy, peach-like
• Production: ~300,000 tons (Thailand leads).

4. Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum)

• Cultivation: Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam
• Taste: Sweet, juicy
• Flavor: Similar to lychee
• Production: Thailand ~500,000 tons.

5. Lychee (Litchi chinensis)

• Cultivation: China, India, Vietnam
• Taste: Floral, sweet
• Flavor: Grape-like
• Production: China ~200,000 tons.

6. Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus)

• Cultivation: India, Bangladesh, Thailand
• Taste: Sweet, tropical
• Flavor: Mix of pineapple and banana
• Production: India ~1.5 million tons.

7. Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus spp.)

• Cultivation: Vietnam, Thailand, Colombia
• Taste: Mildly sweet
• Flavor: Kiwi-like with crunchy seeds
• Production: Vietnam ~1 million tons.

8. Papaya (Carica papaya)

• Cultivation: India, Brazil, Mexico
• Taste: Sweet, musky
• Flavor: Melon-like
• Production: India ~6 million tons.

9. Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

• Cultivation: Philippines, Costa Rica, Thailand
• Taste: Tangy-sweet
• Flavor: Citrusy, tropical
• Production: Global ~28 million tons.

10. Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola)

• Cultivation: Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia
• Taste: Crisp, tart-sweet
• Flavor: Citrusy, apple-like
• Production: Malaysia ~20,000 tons.

11–20: Lesser-Known Gems

1. Soursop (Annona muricata): Creamy, tangy-sweet; grown in Mexico, Brazil.
2. Custard Apple (Annona reticulata): Sweet, granular; India, Philippines.
3. Longan (Dimocarpus longan): Sweet, floral; Thailand, China.
4. Guava (Psidium guajava): Tart-sweet; India, Mexico.
5. Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis): Starchy, potato-like; Pacific Islands.
6. Salak (Salacca zalacca): Snaky skin, sweet-tart; Indonesia.
7. Cempedak (Artocarpus integer): Sweet, durian-like; Malaysia.
8. Langsat (Lansium parasiticum): Grape-like clusters; Thailand.
9. Santol (Sandoricum koetjape): Tangy-sweet; Philippines.
10. Sugar Apple (Annona squamosa): Custardy, sweet; India, Egypt.

21–30: Citrus & Tangy Varieties

1. Pomelo (Citrus maxima): Mild grapefruit; Thailand, China.
2. Calamansi (Citrus × microcarpa): Lime-like; Philippines.
3. Kaffir Lime (Citrus hystrix): Zesty; Southeast Asia.
4. Yuzu (Citrus junos): Tart, fragrant; Japan.
5. Bael (Aegle marmelos): Woody aroma; India.
6. Bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi): Sour; Indonesia.
7. Tamarind (Tamarindus indica): Sweet-sour; India, Thailand.
8. Ambarella (Spondias dulcis): Crunchy, tart; Sri Lanka.
9. Karonda (Carissa carandas): Berry-like tartness; India.
10. Kamias (Averrhoa bilimbi): Sour; Philippines.

31–50: Regional Specialties

1. Jabuticaba (Brazilian Grape): Grows on tree trunks; Brazil.
2. Mamey Sapote (Pouteria sapota): Pumpkin-spice flavor; Mexico.
3. Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota): Brown sugar taste; India, Mexico.
4. Pulasan (Nephelium mutabile): Sweeter rambutan; Malaysia.
5. Marang (Artocarpus odoratissimus): Fragrant; Philippines.
6. Cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum): Chocolate relative; Brazil.
7. Rollinia (Rollinia deliciosa): Lemon meringue flavor; Amazon.
8. Acerola (Malpighia emarginata): Vitamin C-rich; Brazil.
9. Biribá (Rollinia mucosa): Custardy; Peru.
10. Genip (Melicoccus bijugatus): Lychee-like; Caribbean.
11. Noni (Morinda citrifolia): Acquired taste; Polynesia.
12. Horned Melon (Cucumis metuliferus): Jelly-like; Africa.
13. Kei Apple (Dovyalis caffra): Tart; Southern Africa.
14. Kwai Muk (Artocarpus hypargyreus): Fuzzy, sweet; China.
15. Kepel Fruit (Stelechocarpus burahol): Floral; Indonesia.
16. Mangaba (Hancornia speciosa): Tropical apricot; Brazil.
17. Velvet Apple (Diospyros blancoi): Peach-like; Philippines.
18. Safou (Dacryodes edulis): Buttery; Central Africa.
19. Lulo (Solanum quitoense): Citrus-herbal; Colombia.
20. Pejibaye (Bactris gasipaes): Palm fruit; Costa Rica.

51–70: Exotic Flavors

1. Atemoya (Annona × atemoya): Pineapple-custard; Australia.
2. Cherimoya (Annona cherimola): Vanilla-citrus; South America.
3. Ilama (Annona diversifolia): Creamy; Mexico.
4. Mamoncillo (Melicoccus bijugatus): Tart-sweet; Caribbean.
5. Pitomba (Eugenia luschnathiana): Apricot-like; Brazil.
6. Bacuri (Platonia insignis): Bitter-sweet; Amazon.
7. Caimito (Chrysophyllum cainito): Milky; Caribbean.
8. Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis): Bright red; Vietnam.
9. Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba): Date-like; China.
10. Lovi-Lovi (Flacourtia inermis): Tart; Southeast Asia.
11. Mabolo (Diospyros blancoi): Velvety; Philippines.
12. Nungu (Borassus flabellifer): Ice apple; India.
13. Pili Nut (Canarium ovatum): Buttery; Philippines.
14. Rukam (Flacourtia rukam): Sour; Indonesia.
15. Soncoya (Annona purpurea): Spiky, sweet; Mexico.
16. Tamarillo (Solanum betaceum): Tomato-plum; New Zealand.
17. Ugli Fruit (Citrus reticulata × paradisi): Tangy; Jamaica.
18. Wampee (Clausena lansium): Grape-like; China.
19. Yangmei (Myrica rubra): Berries; China.
20. Zalacca (Salacca zalacca): Snake fruit; Indonesia.

71–100: Niche & Wild Varieties

1. Abiu (Pouteria caimito): Caramel-flavored; Brazil.
2. Araza (Eugenia stipitata): Extremely sour; Amazon.
3. Bignay (Antidesma bunius): Wine berries; Philippines.
4. Caimito (Chrysophyllum cainito): Star apple; Caribbean.
5. Duku (Lansium parasiticum): Langsat relative; Malaysia.
6. Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis): Cherry-like; Brazil.
7. Imbe (Garcinia livingstonei): Tangy; Africa.
8. Jambolan (Syzygium cumini): Purple plum; India.
9. Ketembilla (Dovyalis hebecarpa): Sour; Sri Lanka.
10. Lakoocha (Artocarpus lakoocha): Sour jackfruit; India.
11. Mundu (Garcinia dulcis): Sweet-sour; Indonesia.
12. Naranjilla (Solanum quitoense): Citrus-herbal; Andes.
13. Otaheite Apple (Syzygium malaccense): Crisp; Pacific Islands.
14. Poha (Physalis peruviana): Goldenberry; South America.
15. Rukam (Flacourtia rukam): Tart; Malaysia.
16. Sapote (Pouteria sapota): Pumpkin pie flavor; Mexico.
17. Tunas (Opuntia spp.): Prickly pear; Mexico.
18. Uvaia (Eugenia pyriformis): Aromatic; Brazil.
19. Voavanga (Vangueria madagascariensis): Tart; Madagascar.
20. White Sapote (Casimiroa edulis): Vanilla custard; Mexico.
21. Ximenia (Ximenia americana): Sour plum; Africa.
22. Yellow Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis): Tangy; Brazil.
23. Ziziphus (Ziziphus mauritiana): Indian jujube; India.
24. Akebi (Akebia quinata): Purple pod; Japan.
25. Breadnut (Artocarpus camansi): Nutty; Pacific.
26. Cubiu (Solanum sessiliflorum): Tomato-like; Amazon.
27. Falsa (Grewia asiatica): Tart berry; India.
28. Kawista (Limonia acidissima): Woody apple; India.
29. Malay Apple (Syzygium malaccense): Rose-scented; Malaysia.
30. Tarap (Artocarpus odoratissimus): Fragrant; Borneo.

Conclusion
From the creamy durian to the tangy calamansi, tropical and Asian fruits offer unparalleled diversity. While production figures vary widely, these fruits remain vital to local economies and cuisines. Exploring them is a journey through flavor, tradition, and nature’s ingenuity.

Note: Annual production data is approximate and varies by source. Some fruits are wild-harvested, making exact figures unavailable.