12 Fruits that Start with I

Christine Johnson

By Christine Johnson

Updated

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Graphic for fruits that start with the letter I.

If you’re a wordsmith who loves adding new words to your cranial encyclopedia, check out this list of fruits that start with I.

Not only will you discover a few new fruits to help you on your next game of Scrabble, but I hope you’ll leave feeling curious to try out some new produce.

For example, did you know that there’s a berry called Indian almond fruit that tastes exactly like the oval-shaped nut? Or that there’s a fruit called the ice apple that looks like glass?

Are you hungry for more fun facts? Then keep reading this list of fruits that start with I.

Fruits that Start with the Letter I

1. Illawarra Plum

The Illawarra plum is a fruit that’s native to Illawarra, Australia. These days, you’ll also find it in other parts of the island country, such as New South Wales and Queensland.

It’s a small round fruit that is bluish-purple with a rough skin surface. The fruit is usually less than an inch long and is delightfully sweet and juicy when eaten raw.

The Illawarra plum has many other uses, including jams, jellies, and plum brandy.

2. Indian Sherbet Berry

The Indian sherbet berry stems from a plant called phalsa and is grown in the hot climates of India.

The fruit has a pleasant creamy flavor that is popular for making refreshing fruit or soft drinks to enjoy during the hot summer months.

The sherbet berry is a member of the gooseberry family and is packed with antioxidants.

3. Icaco

The icaco plant is a wild bush that grows near the sea and is typically found in Ghana, Liberia, and Cameroon. It produces an oval-like fruit with either pink or white skin.

The pulp is white and as soft as cotton, with a texture that melts in your mouth. When the plants grow close to the sea, the fruit is quite sweet. The pulp tends to taste milder when it is further away from water.

4. Indian Plum

Indian plum is a dark blue fruit that grows on small shrubs and also goes by the name osoberry.

These small plums are edible for humans but are often bitter, even when fully ripe. The fruit has a flavor that is similar to wild grapes. If you’re looking for a way to make Indian plums more palatable, try infusing them in teas or making jam and syrups.

The Indian plum originated in Washington, Oregon, and Northern California. These plants grow fast, making them difficult to cultivate in a home environment.

5. Indian Strawberry

The Indian strawberry is native to South and Southeast Asia. This plant isn’t technically a strawberry plant but rather an herb with fruit that resembles the red berry we all know and love.

In fact, this plant is sometimes used as a replacement for the real thing and is also dubbed the mock strawberry or false strawberry.

As far as flavor goes, don’t expect it to taste like the real deal. The Indian strawberry is rather bland, with a thin, sour taste that only dimly reminds you of strawberries. However, they are high in vitamins C, D, and iron.

6. Illama Fruit

Illama fruit (not to be mistaken with Llamas) is usually found in the forests of Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

You eat this fruit by scooping the flesh out of the rind and serving chilled. Sometimes, you’ll find this fruit served with cream and sugar to intensify the flavor or with a drop of lime to highlight the prominent tart and bitter note.

7. Indian Fig Fruit

Indian figs grow on cacti and take the shape of a small red oval. These fruits are sweet and refreshing, with a taste between raspberries and watermelon.

The most popular way to enjoy these fruits is to eat them fresh, but they can also be dried. The dried version of these fruits has a chewy texture and a more concentrated taste.

8. Ice Apple

If you’re looking for a fruit that’s exotic and delicious, the ice apple should be your next go-to. You might wonder how this unique fruit got its name, and you don’t have to look much further than its shape.

This rare fruit is grown in India and is usually found in the Eastern parts of the country.

To consume this unusual fruit, you have to cut the coconut-like shell in half to reveal the ice-like fruit inside. Extract the seeds and gobble them down raw. You’ll find the ice apple tastes sugary, fleshy, and delicious.

9. Indian Jujube Fruit

The Indian jujube is a fruit grown in India for centuries. It is also known as the Indian plum, Chinese date, Chinese apple, and Sindhi apple.

It is a small, round, and yellowish-skinned fruit that contains a small amount of several vitamins and minerals. Still, it’s rich in vitamin C and has antioxidants and immune-boosting properties.

The fruit is primarily unripe when harvested, so you need to let it ripen before consumption. Its taste can range from sweet to sour, depending on how ripe it is.

Since the fruit is on the sour end of the spectrum, you’ll find that it’s often used to flavor drinks and sweets.

10. Indian Almond Fruit

Curious to try a fruit that resembles an almond? The Indian almond fruit resembles the oval-shaped nut with a reddish-purple fleshy exterior. The core has a flavor that tastes exactly like an almond.

The outside of the fruit is also edible and tastes sweet and acidic with a sticky texture. The fruit is rich in nutrients, containing vitamins B1, B2, and C, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and iron.

You’ll find this fruit in the tropical regions of Japan, China, Thailand, the Philippines, and of course, India.

11. Indian Hog Plum

The Indian hog plum is a fruit that is best used to make traditional Indian dishes such as chutneys, curries, pickles, and other spicy delicacies.

You’ll often find it cooked in recipes since the raw fruit is not that sweet, and it can be hard to separate the stone from the pulp.

12. Indian Gooseberry

The Indian gooseberry, also called amla, is an ancient fruit used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years.

The fruit’s health benefits are endless. It promotes hair and skin health, helps lower bad cholesterol, relieves heartburn, and alleviates diarrhea.

The fruit is very rich in vitamin C and helps improve eye health. And if that isn’t enough to convince you to start incorporating the Indian gooseberry into your diet, the berry is also an impressive source of antioxidants.

More Yummy Fruits

A – B – C – D – E – F – G – H – I – J – K – L – M – N – O – P – Q – R – S – T – U – V – W – X – Y – Z