14 Delicious Fruits That Are Hard To Find At A US Grocery Store

Fruits are the parts of a plant that develop from a flower and contain seeds for reproduction. While most fruits are sweet, this isn't a requirement — did you know that cucumber is a fruit? This shouldn't be surprising, as there are more than 2,000 different types of fruit, many of which feature countless varieties. For instance, more than 1,000 different types of bananas exist worldwide, about half of which are edible for humans.

With so many fruits, we consume only a small fraction of the bounty that's on offer. While many Americans are more than familiar with apples, oranges, and grapes, there is an entire world of fruits that remain underutilized and frequently limited to their geographical regions. This can be for a variety of reasons, including challenges associated with cultivation, harvest, and transport. However, not all lesser-known fruits are inaccessible. While they may be tricky to find at your local grocery store, a little perseverance can go a long way. Specialty markets, farmers' markets, and online retailers sometimes stock unique fruits that aren't normally part of the supermarket scene. Curious to find out more? Here are just a few of these delicious morsels.

While most of us have seen a persimmon at one time or another, not many of us know that this tomato-shaped fruit comes in different varieties. While persimmons range in color from yellow to red, American persimmons taste different from their Asian counterparts, fuyu and hachiya. Opinions about the different fruit varieties vary, with some saying that the American version of the fruit has a more concentrated flavor and others that American persimmons are more gooey, while Asian persimmons are juicier.

Persimmons can be tricky to find in grocery stores, as attested to by one Reddit user, who recalls being introduced to the fruit by his grandmother. "They look like tomatoes but taste completely different and amazing. [...] I cannot find any at grocery stores and no one I ask about it has had them." This scarcity is likely due to the fact that persimmons grow primarily in South Atlantic and Gulf states.

Persimmons are a seasonal fruit that ripen only once a year in the fall. Anybody who harvests persimmons before they are ready is in for a nasty surprise, as highlighted by one Quora member: "They're amazingly sour if not fully ripened. They have to be what I call dead-ripe to eat: they have to be almost falling off the tree before they're edible."

If you have never heard of mangosteen, you are far from the only one. These little purple fruits with a thick skin are tough to come by in the U.S. They are also quite expensive, if you do happen to find them. This is partly because mangosteen is a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia that requires very specific growing conditions.

Most of the mangosteens sold in the U.S. are imported from Asia, particularly Thailand. Interestingly, the U.S. prohibited the import of fresh mangosteens, along with other fruit, from Asia over concerns about the fruit fly. The ban was lifted in 2007 and the importation of mangosteens is now permitted as long as they have been treated with a special process to eliminate any potential kitchen pests.

Mangosteen is called the "queen of fruits" for a good reason. If you manage to get your hands on the delicious treat, you are in for a truly special experience. Once peeled, the fruit reveals juicy white segments that are sweet and slightly tart in flavor. To enjoy a mangosteen, press gently along the thick purple rind until it splits open, revealing the soft flesh inside.

Standing as a testament to its rarity in supermarkets, one Quora member laments the elusiveness of the pawpaw, saying, "It's a deciduous fruit native to eastern North America. But dang if I've ever seen one anywhere for purchase." Although it originates from North America, the pawpaw remains a hidden grocery store gem. So, why this scarcity? Pawpaw is only in season between August and early October. Unlike some other fruits, such as apples, pawpaw has a short shelf life and should be eaten within three to five days when left unrefrigerated. Pawpaws are also labor-intensive to harvest, as they all mature at different times and require individual handling to determine ripeness.

With its lumpy, greenish skin, the pawpaw isn't the most aesthetically pleasing fruit. However, once cut open, this unremarkable exterior reveals creamy white flesh that tastes like a blend of guava, mango, and peach. Pawpaw can be eaten fresh or used as an ingredient in a range of recipes. More specifically, the fruit can enhance the sweetness of smoothies, puddings, ice cream, and baked goods like breads and cakes.

Miracle fruit got its name due to its unique ability to temporarily alter the perception of taste. The little red berry contains miraculin, which binds to the taste buds and makes sour or acidic foods, like lemons and vinegar, taste sweet for up to an hour after consumption. While certainly intriguing, the little morsels aren't commonly available at supermarkets. In fact, attendees of "flavor-tripping parties" have been forking out $15 for a single berry.

As reported by The Takeout, the A.V. Club conducted a taste test of miracle fruit purchased online to see what all the hype was about. As noted by the participants, the fruit has a mild, slightly tart flavor. While nobody was blown away with any new flavor discoveries, the testers reported that sour foods like lemons tasted sweeter, similar to lemonade, and white vinegar took on the taste of sweet balsamic vinegar. However, miracle fruit didn't transform all the foods consumed. For instance, the taste of radishes remained unchanged for most participants.

Mayhaw berries are small red fruits that derive their name from the fact that they are harvested throughout May and early April. In fact, it's this short harvest window — as well as their preference for wet habitats — that makes mayhaws such an elusive fruit. Despite being native to the southern U.S., mayhaw berries are rarely eaten fresh, instead being used to make jelly, syrup, jams, and wine.

Mayhaw berries are normally picked in the wild, a process that requires navigating the wet areas where they thrive. Once located, the fruits aren't normally picked by hand. Instead, the simplest way of harvesting them involves placing a blanket beneath a tree, giving it a shake, and collecting the fallen fruit. Alternatively, if you are at the right place at the right time, you may be lucky enough to pick up some mayhaws at your local farmers' market or even alongside the road, as shared by one Reddit user. "Just this past weekend, we drove down to Beaumont and back, and at a few roadside stands, we saw signs that Mayhaws or Mayhaw jelly was being sold. Wish we had stopped and snagged some of that," they said.

Elderberries have numerous culinary applications. Elderflowers, the white blossoms of the elderberry plant, are used to infuse the French liqueur St. Germain. Meanwhile, elderberries can be used to make teas and health tonics. They are also sometimes incorporated into pies and jams. Despite their potential as a culinary ingredient, you are unlikely to find elderberries at your local grocery store, as highlighted by one netizen, who says: "I have never seen these beauties ever sold in supermarkets! Easy enough to identify, you can easily pick a bushel when walking around."

The elderberry plant starts to flower in late spring or early summer, gradually developing tiny, dark fruits in August and September. While healthy if prepared correctly, the biggest issue with elderberries — and likely the reason they are so tricky to find at the supermarket — is their potential toxicity. When freshly picked, elderberries contain cyanide, a highly toxic chemical that can result in death. As such, elderberries must always be cooked before consumption.

Visually striking, lychees are bright red, round fruits covered in an armor of spikes. However, after you pry a lychee open with your fingers, it reveals a soft, almost translucent white flesh. Also known as "alligator strawberry" due to its bumpy skin, the small fruit is sweet with mildly floral notes. Unfortunately, finding this delicious treat at the grocery store can be quite challenging, as attested to by one lychee enthusiast. "Lychees are one of my favorite fruits and I ate them all the time when I lived in Southern Africa. I live in Georgia, USA [...] and I don't think I've ever seen them in a grocery store," they say.

While lychees are native to Southeast Asia, they are also grown in U.S. states with warmer climates, including California, Southern Florida, Texas, and Hawaii. Lychees are harvested from May to September, so this is the time period you should be focusing on if you want to sample this elusive fruit. Up to recently, lychees could only be found at Asian supermarkets, but the increasing popularity of the fruit has expanded its availability to farmers' markets and select grocery stores such as Trader Joe's.

Passion fruit is a round fruit with a tough skin that can be either purple or yellow when ripe. When cut open, the fruit reveals golden-colored pulp filled with small, crunchy black seeds. Tangy and delicious, passion fruit can be eaten on its own or used as an ingredient in a range of dishes and drinks like smoothies, desserts, and cocktails. The simplest way to enjoy this exotic treat is to cut it in half and use a spoon to scoop out the delicious, jiggly flash. If you want to use passion fruit in a recipe, it's best to heat it to liquify the pulp and strain it to remove the seeds.

Native to South America, passion fruit is gradually gaining wider recognition for its delectable flavor and numerous health benefits. In fact, this exotic gem is now grown in the warmer states of California, Florida, and Hawaii, where it's available most of the year. Passion fruit is also easy to transport due to its tough shell and can be kept for weeks without spoiling. With so much going for it, it's surprising that passion fruit isn't available more widely in U.S. grocery stores. In addition, the common complaint among passion fruit enthusiasts seems to be that when this tropical fruit does make its way to the supermarket, it's outrageously expensive.

Figs are commonly found in a dried form. This is because dehydration not only significantly increases this fruit's shelf life but also ensures that they are available year-round, rather than just during the fig season from June to October. Even when they are in season, most grocery stores are unlikely to carry fresh figs.

The reason for this is the fruit's perishability and lack of demand, as explained by one Quora user. "Figs don't last long or travel well. If a ripe fig is picked from my tree, it will likely not last more than 2 to 3 days in the fridge before being unusable. I am sure there are varieties that last longer — but then it comes down to demand for figs at groceries." This makes sense, as the vast majority of figs cultivated in the U.S. are grown in California and would have to be transported to stores across the country.

Figs are one of the world's oldest fruits. The teardrop-shaped morsels were already cultivated some 11,000 years ago and were enjoyed at the first Olympic games in ancient Greece. If you do happen to get your hands on some fresh figs, there are numerous ways to enjoy them. Figs can be eaten raw and their skin is edible. They can also be roasted to bring out their sweet, caramelized flavor. Alternatively, fresh figs can also be used to make jam and incorporated into baked goods such as cakes.

Mulberry trees are ubiquitous in most temperate regions of the U.S. In fact, chances are that there is a mulberry tree in your neighborhood or even your backyard. Mulberries look a little like elongated blueberries, made up of tiny, round bubbles. Their color varies, depending on the variety and ripeness, with ripe fruit ranging from red to purple-black.

Given the abundance of this tasty fruit, it may seem like a mystery why mulberries are so difficult to find at grocery stores. However, there is an easy explanation — the berries are difficult to harvest, as they don't ripen at the same time, fall quickly once ripe, and are very delicate, making them tricky to transport. They also have a very short shelf life of just two to four days, even when refrigerated. Perhaps one Reddit user sums this up best, saying, "Mulberries in Michigan are one of the best fruits I've ever tasted. Problem is they're super squishy and you'd damage a lot in harvesting and they'd probably never make it to the store without being a mess."

If you're looking to source some mulberries, it's best to keep an eye out for mulberry trees in your neighborhood or local parks. The fruit can be harvested from late spring to early summer. Should you come across some mulberries, you can use them in any recipe that calls for raspberries or blackberries. Their sweet and mildly tart flavor works well in jams, smoothies, or as a topping for ice cream or yogurt.

Starfruit gets its name from its distinctive shape. When sliced crosswise, the fruit resembles a bright yellow star with five distinct points. In terms of taste and texture, starfruit features a rubbery skin with a soft, sweet and sour center. While the fruit may not be as tricky to locate as some of the other delicacies on our list, it's still not a staple on grocery store shelves. One person advises: "I've found that Asian supermarkets are the best places to buy them. While regular supermarkets have them sometimes, they are usually small and under-ripe."

Starfruit is often eaten fresh as a snack. It's also sometimes used as a garnish in drinks and desserts due to its striking appearance. While the seeds of the fruit are edible, some people find their taste undesirable and remove them. While starfruit is generally considered healthy — it's rich in vitamin C and fiber — it shouldn't be eaten by people suffering from kidney problems. This is because starfruit contains oxalate and caramboxin, which can be harmful to individuals with impaired kidney function.

Also called custard apples, cherimoyas resemble artichokes. The fruit has green, scaly skin and white, incredibly soft flash, which has earned it the nickname "ice cream fruit." While the flavor of cherimoya can vary from sweet to tangy, it's reminiscent of a mix of pineapple, banana, and peach.

Cherimoya isn't widely available in the U.S. It's a tropical fruit cultivated in the warm climates of South and Central America. The fruit is also grown in southern California where it's harvested between March and May. Unfortunately, each cherimoya tree yields a limited number of fruit, making its production relatively labor-intensive.

The tropical fruit is best enjoyed fresh and chilled. Simply cut it in half and scoop out the delicious flesh with a spoon. That said, it's important to remove the seeds before digging into a cherimoya, as they are poisonous. The fruit can also be tossed into salads, or puréed and used in smoothies and sorbets.

Strikingly similar in appearance to durian, the stinky "king of fruits," jackfruit offers a less pungent and bold-flavored alternative. Just like durian, jackfruit is relatively large, ranging between 10 and 20 pounds. It is oval-shaped and covered with spiky skin that's normally green, but can also be yellow or brownish. Once cracked open, the fruit exposes yellow pods, each one encasing a smooth seed.

While jackfruit is very popular in Asia, it has yet to gain the same status in the U.S. Nevertheless, jackfruit is now being cultivated in the U.S., where it's mostly enjoyed as a meat-substitute. Ripe jackfruit can be eaten raw thanks to its sweet taste. However, it's the young, under-ripe pods that are commonly used as a meat replacement. This is because they are neutral in flavor and boast a meat-like, dry, rubbery texture. To turn jackfruit into a meat substitute, marinate it just as you would a cut of meat to give it flavor. Next, shred the jackfruit with your hands, season it, and roast or broil it until crispy.

Round or oval in shape, lucuma is a medium-sized fruit with greenish-brown skin. Inside, it has bright yellow-orange flesh and a large brown seed. The sweet fruit is sometimes eaten raw, although its relatively dry and fibrous texture can make it difficult to chew. As such, it's frequently used as a sweetener in desserts, jams, and marmalades.

Lucuma played a key role in the diet and culture of ancient civilizations in the Andean highlands of Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. The fruit was already cultivated in the region some 2000 years ago, and has been featured on ceramics made by the Moche people, an indigenous Andean civilization.

Today, lucuma is mainly grown in South America but can be found in other subtropical regions, including California and Hawaii. The fruit can be hard to locate at grocery stores because it's not widely grown for commercial purposes. While you may not be able to find this fruit fresh, lucuma powder is more readily available in the U.S.