15 Types of Fruit in Vietnam Featured in the List of the 28 Strangest Fruits in the World

Elite Readers has “searched high and low” and compiled a list of the 28 strangest fruits in the world, with a surprising 15 of them found in Vietnam. These fruits may be familiar to us, yet they are considered unique globally. So, what are they? Let’s explore!

There are many strange fruits in the world, truly unique in their shapes and flavors. In the list of the 28 unusual fruits below, we hope you have tasted more than half.

28. Monstera Deliciosa

Monstera Deliciosa, contrary to its name, is not a monster. This fruit resembles corn more than typical fruit, featuring a scaly exterior and flesh similar to pineapple. Monstera Deliciosa takes nearly a year to ripen and is safe to eat only when fully matured. Unripe fruit is toxic and should not be consumed. The ripe fruit is the only safe part, as other parts of Monstera Deliciosa are toxic. This fruit is also known as Ceriman, found from Mexico to Panama, and is a climbing plant native to tropical forests. It is known by various names such as Swiss cheese plant, salad fruit, Monsterio Delicio, Monstereo, Monstera, Locust, Wild Honey, and more.

27. Jabuticaba

The Jabuticaba fruit belongs to the Myrtaceae family and was first scientifically described in 1956. Its unique characteristic is that it grows directly on the woody trunk. When ripe, Jabuticaba turns dark red and tastes somewhat like a plum. This unusual fruit seems to sprout directly from the bark and trunk, making the tree look as if it is covered with purple warts during the fruiting season. Jabuticaba originates from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, and Bolivia, and is also known as Brazilian Grape Tree, jabotica, jabuticabeira, guapuru, hivapuru, sabará, and yvapurũ (Guarani). It is a berry with thick skin, purple on the outside surrounding soft white or pink flesh. Jabuticaba fruits are juicy and can be eaten fresh. Additionally, they can be made into jams or fermented to produce wine. Dried Jabuticaba is used to treat asthma and diarrhea, and scientists are researching it for potential cancer treatment.

26. Water Pine Fruit

While its shape isn’t particularly strange, the most notable feature of this fruit is the “risk” involved in eating it. All parts of the water pine are toxic except for the fruit. However, only the sweet flesh of the fruit is edible; the seeds remain toxic and extremely bitter.

25. Rambutan

Rambutan is a sweet fruit with red skin covered in soft hairs, very popular in Vietnam. (Photo: Tatters)

24. Ackee

Ackee belongs to the Sapindaceae family. The light yellow interior of the fruit is edible. Native to the tropical regions of West Africa, this fruit was imported to Jamaica and has now become a significant part of Caribbean culture. Besides Jamaica, Ackee is also cultivated in Haiti, Barbados, and Cuba. This fruit is used in Caribbean cuisine. Eating unripe fruit can cause Jamaican vomiting sickness, which may lead to coma or death due to the presence of two deadly toxins: hypoglycin A and B. Consuming hypoglycin A can cause abdominal pain, severe hypoglycemia, and vomiting. If the amount of hypoglycin A exceeds the digestive system’s ability to eliminate it, it can be fatal. (Photo: Kaiton)

23. Jackfruit

Jackfruit is considered the largest fruit that grows on a tree. (Photo: Scot Nelson)

22. Buddha’s Hand

This fruit is named for its resemblance to a hand. Buddha’s Hand often appears on fruit trays during Tet. You can find this fruit in markets, especially on the first and full moon days. Additionally, it is used for medicinal purposes and in perfumes. (Photo: Internet)

21. Lychee

Lychee has been cultivated for over 2,000 years, particularly the Vietnamese variety known for its thick flesh, small seed, and delicious flavor. (Photo: Thor)

20. Aguaje

Aguaje is a multifunctional South American fruit used for oils, jams, wines, and even ice cream. (Photo: Pierre Pouliquin)

19. Thai Lime

Thai Lime is native to Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. They are now widely cultivated globally for seasoning, fragrance, and cosmetics. (Photo: Wally Gobetz)

18. Cherimoya

Many people call this the custard apple because its flesh resembles custard, tasting very sweet and fragrant. This fruit is highly nutritious and is considered the ‘best fruit for men’, according to writer Mark Twain. (Image: Internet)

17. Romanesco Broccoli

This vegetable is named for its unusual shape, which combines features of broccoli and cauliflower. (Image: Cyclonebill)

16. Hala Tree Fruit

Hala tree fruit is also known by other names such as Thaazhai (Tamil), Tahitian Screwpine, Thatch Screwpine, hala (Hawaiian), fala (Samoan), bacua (Spanish), vacquois (French), or wild pineapple. The fruit has an unusual appearance, featuring a fibrous outer skin and contains 38-200 wedge-shaped segments inside, each with an average of two seeds. Hala fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. The leaves are used for thatching, mats, and baskets, and the plant is believed to have medicinal properties. The hala tree fruit is a staple food source in the Federated States of Micronesia. Additionally, this fruit has applications in dentistry. (Image: Flickr)

15. Mangosteen

Mangosteen is widely grown in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, with a history spanning thousands of years. (Image: Internet)

14. Akebia

This fruit is very popular in Japan. Japanese folklore includes stories of searching for this unusual fruit on hills. (Image: Hunda)

13. Salak

Salak is a species native to Indonesia, Brunei, and Malaysia. It is also known as snake fruit due to its reddish-brown scaly skin. (Image: Jayson Emery)

12. Physalis

Physalis, also known as husk tomato, resembles a tomato but tastes like a strawberry. They have many uses, including treating fever, sore throat, and cough, and can be eaten or brewed as medicine. (Image: Jason)

11. Custard Apple

Custard apples are very sweet and have a lot of flesh. This fruit requires patience as it contains many seeds. (Image: Gareth Bogdanoff)

10. Gac Fruit

Most of us have probably enjoyed gac sticky rice. This is a unique fruit from Vietnam, used in both cuisine and medicine. (Image: Wikipedia)

9. Horned Melon

The horned melon, also known as kiwano, cucumber melon, or jelly melon, has a bright orange-yellow skin and green jelly-like flesh. It has a sour taste and a cucumber-like texture. The fruit can be eaten at any stage, but if overripe, it will burst and release seeds. This fruit originates from the near-Sahara desert and is one of the few sources of water during summer in the Kalahari desert. You can scoop out the flesh with a spoon and enjoy it. The seeds are edible, similar to cucumber seeds, although kiwano seeds are quite hard, so they can be a bit difficult to chew. However, you’ll get used to it after a few bites. Overall, this is an easy-to-eat fruit, with a flavor that is not too sour but not too sweet, making it easy to enjoy. If you’re not accustomed to eating it raw, you can mix kiwano in salads or blend it into smoothies with various ingredients. Currently, kiwano is quite popular in the United States. (Image: Frumpyfairy)

8. Dragon Fruit

The dragon fruit plant resembles a cactus and only blooms at night. Dragon fruit is popular in many countries and originates from Mexico. (Image: Barbara Dieu)

7. Sapodilla

Sapodilla, also known as sapote, has a fragrant flavor and a rich sweetness. (Image: Eric Bronson)

6. Miracle Fruit

Miracle Fruit is grown in West Africa. This fruit is named for its ability to turn sour-tasting fruits sweet when their juice is consumed. The miracle is caused by a molecule called miraculin. Miraculin works by altering the shape of sweet taste receptors on your tongue. While this molecule successfully distorts the taste of food, it does not change the chemical composition of sour fruits. The fruit itself has a mild aroma, and the seeds are edible but contain a bitter taste hidden within the flesh of the fruit. Due to its ability to make sour foods taste sweet, miraculin has been used to help diabetic patients curb their cravings for sweets by replacing them with sour foods. In Japan, Miracle Fruit is used to assist those with diabetes and those on a diet. However, miraculin is a protein that is not stable at high temperatures and breaks down when heated, so it must be consumed in its fruit form or as a tablet; cooking Miracle Fruit will eliminate its effect on taste. (Image: Wikipedia)

5. Calamondin

Calamondin is commonly seen during the Lunar New Year. It has a sour taste and looks similar to lime, thriving in cooler climates. (Image: John Poisson)

4. Cupuaçu

Cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum) is grown in the Amazon basin, with a scent reminiscent of chocolate and pineapple, and a delicious flavor that combines pear and banana. This fruit has been heralded as the next “superfruit” because it is packed with nutrients. It is commonly used in desserts and sweets. (Image: Internet)

3. Bitter Melon

Bitter melon is actually a type of fruit. It has a bitter taste and is grown in Asia, the Caribbean, and Africa. (Image: Internet)

2. Starfruit

Starfruit is unique because it has a five-pointed star shape. Its flavor is a combination of apple, pear, grape, and citrus. It is commonly grown in Vietnam. (Image: Forest and Kim Starr)

1. Durian

While durian has a sweet and delicious taste, its smell is… terrible to those experiencing it for the first time, not just for Vietnamese but also for foreigners. (Image: Dylan)