You have likely heard of raspberries, but have you heard of rangpur? What about rose hips? There are so many fruits beginning with R that you may not have heard of before. This post will dive into fun and exotic fruits that start with R. Let’s dive in!
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Fruits that start with R
Raspberries, rangpur, rose hips, there are so many fruits that start with R. Read on to learn more tasty fruits starting with R.
More commonly called java apple, rose apples are a southeast Asian fruit that grows from a fruit tree in May and June. Though they are called “rose apple fruit,” don’t expect your average apple here.
The rose apple fruit has a bell-like shape, and a waxy red skin. The inside flesh of the rose apple has a pale white color and a squishy texture.
A bite of a rose apple does not taste like apples either. They have a mild flavor with a hint of sourness. They can be eaten raw but rose apple fruit is more commonly used in sauces or cooked dishes.
Rambutan fruit is a small spiky red fruit that grows from rambutan fruit trees which are native to southeast Asia.
Don’t be alarmed by its spiky exterior. Once the skin is peeled, there is a lovely jelly-like flesh that covers a large seed.
The pulp of rambutan fruit has a very sweet taste that is slightly floral. Thanks to its flavor, rambutan fruit is most commonly eaten as a refreshing snack or in desserts.
There are two main harvesting seasons for these fruits that start with r, which are in June and December.
Roses aren’t just a pretty flower, but wild roses also grow a small pop that is an edible fruit. Rose hip is a small round pod that is filled with seeds. They have a yellowish-red color and have little hairs on the outside.
Though you can eat rose hips fruit raw, the hairs can sometimes cause irritation, so it’s better to cook them first. It’s most common to find rose hips fruit in teas or in jams. These fruits that start with r taste kind of like cranberries, but with more floral notes.
You can find rose hips fruit almost anywhere wild roses grow, but they can be most easily found during the summer months.
Sometimes referred to as rangpur lime or mandarin lime, rangpur fruit is a unique citrus fruit originating from Bangladesh. Rangpur fruit taste is very similar to that of limes in that they are incredibly tangy.
Its acidic flavor makes rangpur fruit a common replacement for limes in local Indian dishes. Even though these summer fruits that start with r taste like limes, they do not look like them.
When you see them, you may think you are seeing a mandarin orange growing from a fruit tree! Rangpur fruit is also called mandarin lime, because they look a lot like mandarin oranges.
With its thin bright orange peel and juicy orange pulp, it makes sense why people confuse the rangpur fruit for a mandarin orange.
Originating in the Amazons of Peru and Brazil, rollinia fruit is a type of wild sweetsop fruit. Like most sweetsop varieties, rollinia fruit has a heart shape and a spiky yellow shell.
Once broken open, rollinia fruit has a white flesh that is soft and creamy. The pulp covers a few inedible black seeds, and is often eaten as a fresh fruit.
There are many ways to describe the flavors of the rollinia fruit, but it’s said to have a sweet and sour taste that is similar to pineapple or coconut.
It is difficult to find rollinia fruit outside of the Amazon region, but they grow during the spring months.
There is no apple more classic than the red delicious apple. It is known for its classic dark red color and heart shape.
These amazing red apples were first found in the US and are still mostly grown in America. Red delicious is harvested from its fruit tree from July to October and pairs well with almost anything.
Its white flesh has a slightly sweet taste and can be a bit grainy, but it makes for a good snack or addition to a fruit salad. There’s a reason these fruits that start with r are so popular!
Red mombin fruit is a tropical fruit that is sometimes called jocote, purple mombin, or hog plum.
Growing throughout the Americas, including the state of Florida, red mombin grows from the red mombin fruit tree and has a plum-like shape. The small red fruit hides a large seed that is covered in an orange gelatinous flesh.
They can be eaten raw and have a sweet and sour taste, but some people enjoy adding vinegar or salt to the raw fruit. Depending on where they’re grown, red mombin is harvested during the summer months or the winter.
This list of r fruits would not be complete without mentioning raspberry fruit! The classic raspberry fruit is small in size, with an oval-ish shape and a bumpy texture. The fresh fruit has a color that is deep red-pink, and has a soft, yet crunchy texture.
However, there are more types of raspberries than the one we all know of. The most cultivated raspberry is the Eurasian red raspberry. Most raspberries grow in Russia and Mexico with a peak harvesting season in the summer, but raspberries grow in many other countries as well.
The sweet and tart flavor of a raspberry tastes amazing as is, but raspberry is a great topping for yogurt, oatmeal, ice cream, or even cakes! There is no wonder that so many people enjoy the raspberry fruit.
It can be used as a cake filling, cheesecake topping, in smoothies, in Scottish cranachan and as a topping for Risalamande.
Riberry fruit, also called Lilli Pilli, are native to the Oceania region. The riberry fruit grows in clusters and has a beautiful bright pink color with a bell shape.
Most people enjoy growing riberry fruit, because of its beauty, but they can be eaten as well. The flavor of riberry tastes like cranberries, but is often cooked into jams and sauces.
These fruits that start with r are at their peak during December, so give them a taste!
Rajka apples are a lovely modern apple that grows in the Czech Republic. Since it’s a newer variety, rajka apple has a rounder shape and is perfectly sized for snacking.
The crisp apple has a light red skin that has a few patches of yellow. It is difficult to find rakja outside of the Czech Republic, but they are popular r fruits within the country.
They grow from an apple fruit tree during the summer, and have a sweet delicious taste. If you’re an apple fan, a trip to the Czech Republic may be in order to taste these fruits that start with r.
India grows most of the mangoes in the world, and raspuri mangoes are no exception. You can find the fruit growing from the raspuri mango fruit tree native to Karnataka, which is in the south of India.
These sweet mangoes have an oval shape and can grow up to 6 inches in length. Like most other fruits in the mango family, their skin becomes a red-yellow color when ripe and is a bit tough. Inside the raspuri mango is a bright yellow-orange flesh that is juicy and less fibrous than other mango varieties.
This makes it one of the best fruits that start with r to turn into juice, but it can also be enjoyed as is for a healthy dessert. The best time to find raspuri mangoes are in May and June.
Rosigold mangoes grow in south Florida from March to July, which is a pretty long season for mangoes. These mangoes are longer and more slender than some other mango varieties, but they have a lovely sweet mango flavor.
A ripe rosigold mango has a red and yellow blush when ripe, and has a light orange flesh that is fiberless. Its smooth texture and sweet taste make it one of the more popular fruits that start with r in the mango family.
Rocha pears are a Portuguese pear that have a rounder shape than other European pears. Its thin skin is yellow and covered with little dots when ripe.
When cut open, rocha pear has a white, crunchy flesh. The flesh is mildly sweet, but it’s a bit on the dry side. It can be eaten as is, but it is a popular apple variety for poaching in wine. Thanks to its dryness, the rocha pear has an easier time soaking up the flavors of the wine.
These pears have a long harvesting season that spans from around August until the spring months.
More commonly known as Chinese bayberry, red bayberry is a bright red berry that looks a bit intimidating at first. The fruit’s seed is surrounded by small, hair-like pieces that make the fruit look spiky, but these “spikes” are completely safe to eat.
The important part is to wash the red bayberries thoroughly before eating them. The texture will still be a bit rough, but their flavor is sweet like a strawberry, so it’s worth it!
The tropical fruits grow in different regions along southeast Asia and Japan year-round. It’s hard to find red bayberries outside of Asia, but give them a try if you’re ever there.
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