’Fruit’ is the collective noun for those fruits of which the soft parts are consumed other than as a vegetable. Other edible fruits are known as fruit vegetables and are prepared as a vegetable, like some cucumbers and pulses. These are described in Tropical vegetables and Pulses, legumes, and pods. Fruit in the strict sense is usually sweet and juicy, and owes its agreeable taste to a mixture of sugars, organic acids and esters ((Sub)tropical fruits 5).

Tropical fruits often contribute substantially to the staple food of the population, in contrast with fruits from temperate areas. A large variety of fruits are known and about half of them occur only in the wild. The other half is cultivated on farmyards and in gardens and is mainly used for local consumption.
See ((Sub)tropical fruits 1, (Sub)tropical fruits 2, (Sub)tropical fruits 3, and (Sub)tropical fruits 4).

It is a striking fact that the majority of tropical fruits grows on trees that provide shadow, building material, and fuel as well. These trees often have leathery oval to lanceolate leaves with an entire margin and a wax layer on the upper surface for protection against sunrays.

Large-scales cultivation of tropical fruits for export is usually done on plantations under management of substantial companies. Only fruits with good keeping qualities, which are not easily damaged, like bananas, pineapples and mangos are grown. The cultivation of these fruits usually is an important source of foreign currencies for the exporting country.

After the Second World War the number of tropical fruits on the European market gradually increased. Avocados, passion fruits, and cherimoyas were followed by papaya, guava, kaki, litchi, and rambutan. However, the limited keeping qualities and the poor taste as a result of harvesting unripe fruits, seriously restricted their use.

Important tropical fruits are:
- banana, Musa sapientum;
- mango, Mangifera indica;
- pineapple, Ananas comosus;
- papaya or pawpaw, Carica papaya;
- avocado, Persea americana;
- passion fruit, Passiflora edulis;
- watermelon, Citrullus vulgaris;
- citrus fruits, Citrus sp., (which also flourish in subtropical climates), like:
- lime, Citrus aurantifolia;
- sour, bitter or Seville orange, Citrus aurantium;
- pomelo, pummelo or shaddock, Citrus grandis;
- lemon, Citrus limon;
- citron, Citrus medica;
- grapefruit, Citrus paradisi;
- mandarin or tangerine, Citrus reticulata;
- sweet orange, Citrus sinensis.

Well known fruits from tropical Asia are:
- durian, Durio zibethinus;
- mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana;
- rambutan, Nephelium lappaceum;
- litchi, Litchi chinensis.

Well known fruits from tropical America are:
- guava, Psidium guajava;
- strawberry guava, Psidium cattleianum (see Psidium guajava);
- akee, Blighia sapida.

Except for the citrus fruits mentioned above, well known fruits from subtropical and warmer temperate areas include:
- apricot, Prunus armeniaca;
- peach, Prunus persica;
- grape, Vitis vinifera;
- kiwi, Actinidia chinensis;
- pomegranate, Punica granatum;
- loquat or Japanese medlar, Eriobotrya japonica;
- fig, Ficus carica;
- Indian fig, Opuntia ficus-indica (see Opuntia sp.);
- common or black mulberry, Morus nigra;
- kaki, persimmon or date plum, Diospyros kaki;
- date palm, Phoenix dactylifera.

The following lesser known tropical fruits are classified alphabetically by Family:

Family Anacardiaceae or Cashew family:
- golden- or otaheite apple, Spondias cytherea, see Mangifera indica;
- yellow mombin or hogplum, Spondias lutea, see Mangifera indica;
- red mombin or Spanish plum, Spondias purpurea, see Mangifera indica.

Family Annonaceae or Custard apple family:
- soursop, Annona muricata;
- mountain soursop, Annona montana, see Annona muricata;
- soncoya, Annona purpurea, see Annona muricata;
- cherimoya, Annona cherimolia;
- ilama, Annona diversifolia, see Annona muricata;
- sweetsop or sugar apple, Annona squamosa;
- bullock’s heart, Annona reticulata.

Family Apocynaceae or Periwinkle family:
- Natal plum, Carissa grandiflora.

Family Araceae or Arum family:
- ceriman, Monstera deliciosa, see Xanthosoma sagittifolium.

Family Bombacaceae or Bombax family:
- baobab, Adansonia digitata.

Family Ebenaceae or Persimmon family:
- mabola, velvet apple, Diospyros discolor, see Diospyros kaki;
- black persimmon, Diospyros ebenaster, see Diospyros kaki;
- date plum, Diospyros lotus, see Diospyros kaki;
- American persimmon, Diospyros virginiana, see Diospyros kaki.

Family Euphorbiaceae or Spurge family:
- otaheite gooseberry, Phyllantus acidus;
- emblic, Phyllantus emblica, see Phyllantus acidus;
- rambai, Baccaurea motleyana, see Phyllantus acidus.

Family Flacourtiaceae or Flacourtia family:
- governor’ s plum, Madagascar plum, Flacourtia indica;
- batako plum, Flacourtia inermis, see Flacourtia indica;
- Ceylon gooseberry, ketembilla, Dovyalis hebecarpa, see Flacourtia indica.

Family Guttiferae or Mangosteen family:
- mundu, Garcinia xanthochymus, see Garcinia mangostana;
- imbe, Garcinia livingstonei, see Garcinia mangostana;
- mammey apple, Mammea americana, see Garcinia mangostana.

Family Leguminosae or Pea family:
- tamarind, Tamarindus indica.

Family Malpighiaceae or Malpighia family:
- Barbados cherry, Malpighia glabra.

Family Meliaceae or Mahogany family:
- santol, Sandoricum koetjape;
- langsat, Lansium domesticum, see Sandoricum koetjape

Family Moraceae or Mulberry family:
- breadfruit, Artocarpus altilis;
- jackfruit, Artocarpus heterophyllus.

Family Myrtaceae or Myrtle family:
- rose apple, Eugenia jambos;
- pomerac or Malay apple, Eugenia malaccensis, see Eugenia jambos;
- Java or wax apple, Eugenia javanica;
- pitanga or Surinam cherry, Eugenia uniflora;
- jambolan, Eugenia cumini, see Eugenia uniflora.

Family Oxalidaceae or Oxalis family:
- carambola or starfruit, Averrhoa carambola;
- bilimbi, Averrhoa bilimbi, see Averrhoa carambola.

Family Palmae or Palm family:
- salak, Salacca edulis.

Family Passifloraceae or Passion-flower family:
- giant grenadilla, Passiflora quadrangularis, see Passiflora edulis;
- yellow grenadilla or water lemon, Passiflora laurifolia, see Passiflora edulis;
- sweet grenadilla, Passiflora ligularis, see Passiflora edulis.

Family Rhamnaceae or Buckthorn family:
- Indian jujube, Zizyphus mauritiana, see Zizyphus sp.

Family Rutaceae or Rue family:
- kumquat, Fortunella margarita;
- Japanese kumquat, Fortunella japonica, see Fortunella margarita;
- limeberry, Triphasia trifolia, see Fortunella margarita
- bael fruit or Bengal quince, Aegle marmelos;
- white sapote, Casimiroa edulis;
- wampee, Clausena lansium, see Casimiroa edulis.
- limberry, Triphasia trifolia, see Fortunella margarita)

Family Sapindaceae or Soapberry family:
- longan, Nephelium longana, see Nephelium lappaceum;
- palusan, Nephelium mutabile, see Nephelium lappaceum;
- mamoncillo, Melicocca bijuga, see Nephelium lappaceum.

Family Sapotaceae or Sapodilla family:
- chiku or sapodilla plum, Achras zapota;
- green sapote, Calocarpum viride, see Calocarpum sapota;
- star apple, Chrysophyllum cainito, see Calocarpum sapota;
- yellow sapote, Pouteria sp., see Calocarpum sapota.

Family Solanaceae or Nightshade family:
- tree tomato or tamarillo Cyphomandra betacea;
- Cape gooseberry, Physalis peruviana;
- tomatillo or jamberry, Physalis ixocarpa, see Physalis peruviana;
- cocona, Solanum hyperhodium, see Solanum melongena;
- pepino or melon pear, Solanum muricatum, see Solanum melongena;
- naranjilla, Solanum quitoense, see Solanum melongena.