✔ Updated · 73 fruits, sorted by category
Fruits that start with R include raspberries, raisins, rambutan, redcurrants, Rainier cherries, rose hips, rose apples and Ruby Red grapefruit.
This list rounds up 73 real R fruits, from grocery-store favorites to Southeast Asian and Australian rarities, plus dozens of named apple, pear, grape, citrus, berry, cherry and melon varieties. Each entry says what the fruit tastes like and where it grows, and a quick A-to-Z list at the end is handy for alphabet games, quizzes and Scattergories.
Fruits that start with R, from everyday favorites to rare finds. The most popular:
Common Fruits That Start With R
Apples, pears, grapes, figs and persimmons that start with R.
Red Delicious Apple
A deep red, heart-shaped apple first found in Iowa, with mild, sweet, crisp flesh, long the most grown apple in the US.
Rome Apple
A round red apple from Rome Township, Ohio, with firm, mildly tart flesh that holds its shape when baked.
Royal Gala Apple
A New Zealand sport of Gala with redder skin and crisp, juicy, very sweet flesh with a light floral aroma.
Rhode Island Greening
One of America's oldest apples, from Rhode Island in the 1600s, with green skin and sharp, tart flesh ideal for pies.
Ribston Pippin
An English apple from Yorkshire in the 1700s, a parent of Cox, with firm, aromatic, rich, sweet-sharp flesh.
Rajka Apple
A scab-resistant Czech apple with dark red skin and crisp, juicy, sweet-tart flesh, popular in organic orchards.
Redfree Apple
An early-season, disease-resistant American apple with bright red skin and crisp, juicy, mildly sweet flesh.
RubyFrost Apple
A Cornell apple from New York, bred from Braeburn and Autumn Crisp, with dark red skin and crisp, tangy-sweet flesh.
Rubinette Apple
A Swiss apple from Golden Delicious and Cox's Orange Pippin, with rich, aromatic, sweet-tart and juicy flesh.
Rave Apple
An early Minnesota apple from Honeycrisp and MonArk, with red skin and very crisp, juicy, tart-sweet flesh.
Red Anjou Pear
A red-skinned form of the Anjou pear found in Oregon, with sweet, juicy, mild flesh and a hint of citrus.
Rocha Pear
A Portuguese pear from Sintra with yellow, lightly russeted skin and crisp, juicy, sweet flesh.
Red Globe Grape
A very large red seeded table grape bred in California, with firm, crunchy berries and a mild, sweet flavor.
Ruby Roman Grape
A luxury Japanese grape from Ishikawa Prefecture, with huge red berries that are very sweet, juicy and low in acid.
Reliance Grape
A cold-hardy red seedless grape from the University of Arkansas with tender, juicy berries and a sweet, fruity flavor.
Riesling Grape
A white wine grape from Germany's Rhine region with green-gold berries tasting floral, sweet and sharply acidic.
Ruby Seedless Grape
A dark red seedless grape from California with crisp, juicy berries and a sweet, mild flavor, sold widely in winter.
Ronde de Bordeaux Fig
A small, dark purple fig from France with red flesh that tastes sweet, rich and berry-like.
Rojo Brillante Persimmon
A Spanish persimmon from Valencia, treated to remove astringency so it can be eaten crisp, with sweet, mild orange flesh.
Berries That Start With R
Wild and cultivated berries, plus named raspberry, blueberry and strawberry varieties. Raspberries are my favorite on morning yogurt.
Raspberry
A soft red berry grown across Europe and North America, with juicy, sweet-tart flesh made up of tiny drupelets.
Redcurrant
Small, glossy red berries from northern and western Europe with a bright, sharp, tart flavor, made into jelly and sauces.
Red Huckleberry
Small, bright red berries from forests of the Pacific Northwest with a tart, slightly sweet flavor, used in jams.
Red Mulberry
A mulberry native to the eastern United States with long, dark purple berries that taste sweet and mildly tart.
Riberry
Small pink-red fruits of a lilly pilly tree from eastern Australia with a tart flavor and notes of clove and cinnamon.
Rowanberry
Bright orange-red berries of the rowan tree from Europe and Asia, bitter and sour raw, cooked into jelly for game.
Rose Hip
The red fruit of the rose plant, found across Europe and Asia, with a tangy, fruity flavor, made into tea, syrup and jam.
Red Bayberry
Called yangmei in China, a round, bumpy, dark red fruit with juicy, sweet-tart flesh, grown mainly in Zhejiang.
Rabbiteye Blueberry
A blueberry species native to the southeastern United States, with firm, sweet berries that thrive in hot summers.
Rubel Blueberry
A wild highbush blueberry selected in New Jersey in 1911, with small, dark berries and an intense, sweet-tart flavor.
Royalty Purple Raspberry
A purple raspberry from Geneva, New York, crossed from red and black types, with large, sweet, aromatic berries.
Rainier Strawberry
A Washington State strawberry from 1972 with large, deep red berries and a sweet, rich flavor for fresh eating.
Royal Sovereign Strawberry
A classic English strawberry from 1892 with glossy red berries and a sweet, fragrant, old-fashioned flavor.
Citrus That Start With R
Grapefruits, limes, lemons, tangerines and blood oranges that start with R. I eat Ruby Red grapefruit all winter.
Ruby Red Grapefruit
A Texas grapefruit with red-blushed skin and pink-red flesh that tastes sweeter and less bitter than white grapefruit.
Rio Red Grapefruit
A deep red grapefruit from Texas with juicy, sweet-tart flesh, the leading variety of the Rio Grande Valley.
Rangpur Lime
A mandarin-lemon hybrid from Bangladesh and India with orange skin and very sour, lime-like juice.
Rough Lemon
A large, bumpy lemon hybrid from India with thick rind and sour, slightly bitter juice, widely used as a rootstock.
Robinson Tangerine
A Florida tangerine with deep orange, thin skin and juicy, sweet, rich-flavored segments, ripening in early fall.
Ruby Blood Orange
A Mediterranean blood orange grown in California with red-streaked flesh that tastes sweet with a hint of berry.
Rhobs el Arsa
A large Moroccan lemon-citron hybrid with thick rind and mildly sour, sweetish flesh, eaten in salads.
Tropical Fruits That Start With R
Rambutans, rose apples, bananas and other warm-climate R fruits. I tried my first rambutan at an Asian market and was hooked.
Rambutan
A hairy red fruit from Malaysia and Indonesia with translucent white flesh that tastes sweet, juicy and slightly tart, like lychee.
Rose Apple
A pale yellow fruit from Southeast Asia with crisp, slightly dry flesh that tastes mildly sweet and smells of rosewater.
Red Banana
A banana with red-purple skin grown in Central America and Southeast Asia, with creamy flesh tasting sweet with a raspberry hint.
Rollinia
Also called biribá, a bumpy yellow fruit from Brazil with soft, white, custardy flesh tasting like lemon meringue pie.
Rambai
Small yellow-brown fruits growing in clusters from Malaysia and Indonesia, with juicy, translucent, sweet-sour flesh.
Rumduol
The small yellow-orange fruit of Cambodia's national flower tree, with soft, sweet flesh eaten fresh in Southeast Asia.
Red Mombin
Small red fruits from Mexico and Central America with thin, juicy flesh that tastes sweet and tangy, like a plum.
Raspuri Mango
An early mango from Karnataka in South India with very juicy, sweet-tangy flesh, often made into mango pulp.
Rosigold Mango
An early-season Florida mango of Southeast Asian origin, with golden skin and sweet, fiberless, slightly spicy flesh.
Red Pitaya
A dragon fruit with bright magenta flesh, grown in Central America and Vietnam, sweeter and richer than the white kind.
Ruby Supreme Guava
A Florida guava with red flesh and few seeds, with a sweet, musky, strawberry-like tropical flavor.
Rukam
Small dark red fruits from Southeast Asia with juicy, sour-sweet flesh, rubbed with salt or made into jam.
Ramontchi
Also called governor's plum, a small dark red fruit from Africa and South Asia with sweet-tart, juicy flesh.
Stone Fruits That Start With R
Cherries, peaches, apricots and plums with a single pit.
Rainier Cherry
A golden cherry with a red blush from Washington State, with creamy yellow flesh that is very sweet and low in acid.
Royal Lee Cherry
A low-chill sweet cherry from California bred for mild winters, with dark red, firm, sweet fruits.
Regina Cherry
A late German sweet cherry with large, dark red fruits and firm, juicy, rich and sweet flesh.
Redhaven Peach
A classic yellow freestone peach from Michigan, released in 1940, with red-blushed skin and sweet, juicy flesh.
Red Gold Nectarine
A late-season American nectarine with glossy red skin and firm, juicy, sweet yellow flesh.
Royal Blenheim Apricot
A California apricot of English origin with orange, blushed skin and honey-sweet, aromatic flesh, prized for drying.
Reine Claude
The French name for the greengage, a small, green-gold plum with honey-sweet, juicy, very aromatic flesh.
Red Beaut Plum
An early Japanese-type plum from California with bright red skin and juicy, sweet-tart yellow flesh.
Melons That Start With R
Cantaloupes and heirloom melons that start with R.
Rockmelon
The Australian and New Zealand name for cantaloupe, a netted melon with sweet, musky, juicy orange flesh.
Rocky Ford Melon
A famous heirloom muskmelon from Rocky Ford, Colorado, with green flesh that is very sweet, juicy and aromatic.
Red Seeded Citron Melon
A hard, round heirloom melon from Colorado with bland, firm white flesh, used for pickles and candied preserves.
Rare & Exotic Fruits That Start With R
Wild and unusual R fruits that rarely reach grocery stores.
Roselle
The fleshy red calyx of a hibiscus from West Africa, with a tart, cranberry-like taste, used for Jamaican sorrel drink and jam.
Ruby Saltbush
Tiny red berries of an Australian outback shrub with a sweet, slightly salty taste, eaten as a bush snack.
Rose Myrtle
A small purple berry from Southeast Asia and southern China with soft, sweet, aromatic flesh, eaten fresh or in jams.
Red Bush Apple
A crisp, pinkish-red bush fruit from northern Australia with a mild, slightly sour, apple-like taste.
Dates and Dried Fruits That Start With R
Raisins, dates and dried jujubes that start with R.
Raisin
A dried grape, made mainly in California, Turkey and Iran, with chewy, wrinkled flesh and a concentrated, sweet flavor.
Red Date
A dried jujube from northern China with deep red, wrinkled skin and chewy, sweet flesh, used in teas and soups.
Rabbi Date
A semi-dry date from southeastern Iran with dark skin and firm, chewy, sweet flesh, popular for export.
Botanical Fruits Eaten as Vegetables That Start With R
Fruits in the botanical sense that are cooked and served as vegetables.
Roma Tomato
An oval Italian-style plum tomato grown worldwide, with meaty, low-moisture flesh and a sweet-tangy flavor for sauces.
Rocoto Pepper
An apple-shaped chile from the Andes of Peru and Bolivia with black seeds, juicy flesh and fiery, fruity heat.
Red Kuri Squash
A teardrop-shaped orange winter squash from Japan with dense, sweet flesh tasting like chestnuts.
Did You Know?
- Raspberries are aggregate fruits made of many tiny drupelets, each with its own seed, clustered around a central core that stays on the plant when picked.
- The Rainier cherry was developed at Washington State University in 1952 from Bing and Van cherries and is named after Mount Rainier.
- A single bunch of Ruby Roman grapes from Ishikawa, Japan, has sold at auction for more than one million yen.
- Rhubarb is often treated as a fruit in pies and crumbles, but botanically it is a vegetable, because the part eaten is the leaf stalk.
Quick List: All 73 Fruits That Start With R
Handy for alphabet games, quizzes and Scattergories. The full list, A to Z:
Rabbi Date, Rabbiteye Blueberry, Rainier Cherry, Rainier Strawberry, Raisin, Rajka Apple, Rambai, Rambutan, Ramontchi, Rangpur Lime, Raspberry, Raspuri Mango, Rave Apple, Red Anjou Pear, Red Banana, Red Bayberry, Red Beaut Plum, Red Bush Apple, Red Date, Red Delicious Apple, Red Globe Grape, Red Gold Nectarine, Red Huckleberry, Red Kuri Squash, Red Mombin, Red Mulberry, Red Pitaya, Red Seeded Citron Melon, Redcurrant, Redfree Apple, Redhaven Peach, Regina Cherry, Reine Claude, Reliance Grape, Rhobs el Arsa, Rhode Island Greening, Riberry, Ribston Pippin, Riesling Grape, Rio Red Grapefruit, Robinson Tangerine, Rocha Pear, Rockmelon, Rocky Ford Melon, Rocoto Pepper, Rojo Brillante Persimmon, Rollinia, Roma Tomato, Rome Apple, Ronde de Bordeaux Fig, Rose Apple, Rose Hip, Rose Myrtle, Roselle, Rosigold Mango, Rough Lemon, Rowanberry, Royal Blenheim Apricot, Royal Gala Apple, Royal Lee Cherry, Royal Sovereign Strawberry, Royalty Purple Raspberry, Rubel Blueberry, Rubinette Apple, Ruby Blood Orange, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Ruby Roman Grape, Ruby Saltbush, Ruby Seedless Grape, Ruby Supreme Guava, RubyFrost Apple, Rukam, Rumduol
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular fruit that starts with R?
Raspberries are the most popular fruit that starts with R, followed by raisins. Red Delicious apples, Rainier cherries, Ruby Red grapefruit and rambutan are also widely sold.
What does rambutan taste like?
Rambutan has translucent white flesh that is juicy and sweet with a light tartness, much like lychee but slightly creamier. Peel back the hairy red skin, eat the flesh and discard the seed. It comes mainly from Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.
Is rhubarb a fruit?
Botanically, rhubarb is a vegetable, because the part eaten is the leaf stalk. In 1947 a US court ruled it a fruit for import duties, since it is mostly cooked like fruit in pies, crumbles and jams. Its leaves are not eaten.
What is a rose apple?
A rose apple is a bell-shaped, pale yellow fruit from Southeast Asia. Its crisp, slightly hollow flesh tastes mildly sweet and smells strongly of rosewater. The name is also used for related fruits like the wax apple.
What citrus fruits start with R?
Citrus fruits that start with R include Ruby Red and Rio Red grapefruit, the Rangpur lime, rough lemon, Robinson tangerine, Ruby blood orange and the Moroccan Rhobs el Arsa, a lemon-citron hybrid.
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