A taste of the tropics

You may have heard it called the ‘Queen of Fruits’. Mangosteen is small and purple with segments of juicy white flesh encasing small brown seeds. The leathery rind and seeds are not edible but the flesh tastes like tangy citrus with a hint of peach. You can find it in yellow but it’s tart and more suited to making jam. They both form on evergreen trees, which reach 6-8m tall.

Also known as ‘champagne fruit’, babaco has golden-yellow flesh that tastes light and refreshing, just like a lemon sherbet, and is star-shaped when sliced. It grows on small evergreen trees 2-4m tall, so it is perfect for small gardens or large pots.

With countless black seeds dotting their white flesh, dragon fruit are spectacular treats for both your palate and eyes. Large white flowers precede fruit on this fleshy climbing cactus. They open at night and fill your garden with a glorious scent before closing at sunrise.

Unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, the fruit of jaboticaba grows directly on the trunk, making it a striking feature tree when in fruit – what a bonus! Jaboticabas have a similar texture to grapes, with a zesty flavour when consumed fresh. It can fruit up to three times a year, provided conditions are favourable. It forms on attractive evergreen trees, which can reach 4-7m high.

Incredibly fragrant and sweet, jackfruit is often confused with durian (the stinky fruit). While they look similar, they taste – and smell – completely different. It is borne on an evergreen tree, which can grow 9-15m tall. You can cut the large fruit lengthways to reveal the sticky, golden-yellow fleshy segments.

Adored for its sweet, juicy and tangy flavours, the lychee is incredibly popular in Asia. Behind the brittle, red skin is plump, translucent flesh, which is perfect for consuming fresh or adding to smoothies (our favourite combo is lychee and watermelon). Try ‘Bengal’ or ‘Kwai Mai’, which are both evergreen and reach 4-6m high.

It may be small, but the miracle fruit can make anything acidic taste sweet – truly! Pick, eat, wait a minute, then try a lemon and you’ll be amazed. The fruit forms on a small-growing shrub 1-3m tall, which is ideal for large tubs.

One of the easiest vines you can grow at home, passionfruit can be trained to grow along your fence, on a trellis or over an arbour. All varieties have highly attractive flowers in spring and summer, followed by delicious fruit. Look for ‘Panama Gold’, ‘Nellie Kelly’ or black passionfruit. Cultivars can differ in cold tolerance, so always check the label before buying.

Native to Central America, sapodilla s a brown, furry fruit with orange or yellow-brown flesh that tastes like caramel. It grows on a handsome evergreen tree, which is slow-growing and eventually reaches 4-6m high. Look for grafted varieties, like ‘Prolific’ or ‘Krasuey’. Once ripe, eat fresh or add to sweet smoothies.

This pinkish-red, pear-shaped fruit looks like a larger version of its cousin the lilly pilly. Wax jambu grows on evergreen trees that can reach 4-8m high. While the lilly pilly fruit is a little tart, wax jambu is refreshing, oh-so crunchy and perfect to eat fresh. Its crisp texture and subtle, sweet flavour makes it a perfect ingredient in salads for instant pizzazz.