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Fruits of Hawaii Island and Where to Find Them

Fruits

Residents and visitors of the island of Hawaii, aka Big Island, love the abundance of locally grown fruits and vegetables. The various climate zones and elevation levels together with fertile soil are the ideal environment for a huge range of different crops. The Big Island is blessed with passionate farmers who make sure that sustainable agriculture and the farm to table concept thrives.
 
 
Fruits
 
From Puna and Hamakua to Kau and Kohala, all around the island, you can experience this important and flourishing part of our island economy through visits to farms (many offer tours), dining in local farm to table restaurants, buying your own supply of produce at a store, market or fruit stand.

The list is too long to mention them all, but here is a first teaser:
 
banana-flower
 

There are more than 100 types of Bananas that grow in Hawaii. They come in an interesting variety of flavors and colors. Apple bananas are perhaps the most common and you can find them in most supermarkets and, of course, at local farmers’ markets. The latter is also the place to discover other varieties like ice cream bananas, red-skinned bananas, finger bananas, and cooking bananas.

Are you a fan of avocados? You are lucky because there are more than 200 types of avocados that thrive in the Hawaiian climate. It can be a challenge to find your favorite because they are all delicious! Local farms, fruit stands, and farmers’ markets are the best places to find some of these tasty and healthy beauties.

Papayas seem to grow everywhere in Hawaii, many homes have their own papaya tree. They taste best when they are orange in color and just give in a little to a push with your finger. Fill them with cottage cheese and berries, or just drizzle some fresh lemon juice over them. Another way to enjoy papayas is as a salad with a touch of balsamic vinegar. The possibilities are endless! Green papayas make healthy salads and the fruit can also be cooked, made into a sorbet, added to stews and used against stings from jelly fish! As you can see in this image, papayas ripen from the bottom up, so the flow of ready to eat fruit is sustained for a long time!
 
 

Papaya-Tree
 
For some, the queen of all fruit is the mango. Several events on all islands celebrate this succulent fruit and creations made from it. You can find over 60 different types of mangoes in the Hawaiian islands and the Hayden mango is the most popular one. The peak season for mangoes is in summer, starting around July and lasting until September or early October.

Let’s not ignore the ubiquitous lilikoi, aka passion fruit. It often grows wild and the plant also makes a beautiful vine for your garden displaying its stunning flowers. It grows fast, climbs everywhere if not tamed, and the harvest can be more than one household wants to handle. A great way to preserve this unmatched tropical flavor is to make syrup, jelly, or lilikoi butter. If you have never tasted any of these, get ready for a taste sensation!

passion-flower
 

If you are new to the island you might wonder about the large round, green fruit with a leathery skin. Breadfruit, the Hawaiian name is ulu, can be found in many gardens and at markets. It is a starchy staple of island cuisine and can be enjoyed simply baked or grilled, in a stew, braised in coconut milk – there are wonderful recipes, and your palate will thank you!

hawaiian-breadfruit
 
No list of Hawaiian fruit can be complete without the famous pineapple. The commercial production of Hawaiian pineapple has drastically dropped over the last decades, but local pineapples can be found at farmers’ markets and in private gardens. By the way, never throw away the green part of a pineapple! It can be planted and will produce new fruit in about a year’s time.
 
pineapple

The Hawaiian Fruit Seasons:

FALL: Breadfruit, citrus, dragon fruit, jackfruit, passionfruit, starfruit.
WINTER: Breadfruit, citrus, longan, mangosteen, rambutan.
SPRING: Avocados, chocolate sapote, citrus, lychee, mangosteen, star apple.
SUMMER: Avocados, dragon fruit, egg fruit, jackfruit, lychee, mango, passionfruit, soursop.
YEAR-ROUND: Apple bananas, breadfruit, coconuts, noni, papaya, pineapple.

Resources:

Find Hawaii Island farmers’ markets from Hilo to Kona by clicking on this link.

Visit www.hawaiifarmtrails.com to find locations and information on farms, farmers’ markets, events, and much more.

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