Scientific Name: Persea americana
Also Known As: aguacate, palta
Varieties: Hall, Choquette, Monroe, Beta, Doni, Simmonds
Origins: Central/South America (first introduced to Florida in 1833)
Season: July – December
Pack: 50-lb box
When/How to Eat: Ripen at room temperature 3-5 days after cut from tree; fruit's skin becomes olive green – brown and can be scooped out of shell after pit is removed.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Annona cherimola
Also Known As: chirimoya, chirimolla, custard apple
Varieties: Concha Lisa, Bronceada
Origins: South America
Season: July - November
Pack: 6-12 count box or 2-piece clamshell
When/How to Eat: Wait until soft (can you push through with your thumb?). Peel open and eat inner flesh; remove seeds. Can be stored for up to a week in refrigerator once ripe.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Cocos nucifera
Also Known As: coco
Origins: Southeast Asia
Season: year-round
Pack: 10 count box
When/How to Eat: Should be cut no earlier than 5 months from fruiting; can be used immediately after cut. Can drink water inside of shell and inner meat; outer shell inedible.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Colocasia esculenta
Also Known As: taro, eddo, cocoyam, kalo
Origins: South-Central Asia
Season: year-round
Pack: 50-lb box
When/How to Eat: Harvested from underground when plant's leaves start to turn yellow. Store in cool, dry place and boil/fry/steam after peeling rough outer skin. Treat similar to a potato.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Hylocereus undatus
Also Known As: pitaya roja/blanca/amarilla, pitahaya, cinderella plant
Varieties: red skin + red/white flesh, yellow skin + white flesh
Origins: central America / northern South America
Season: June – November
Pack: 10-lb or 25-lb box
When/How to Eat: Ripe when showing bright red skin; should be soft but not mushy. Cut into halves/quarters and scoop out inner red/white flesh.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Physalis peruviana
Also Known As: gooseberry, uchuva, Peruvian groundcherry
Varieties: with or without husk
Origins: central America / northern South America
Season: year-round
Pack: 125-gram clamshell; other options available
When/How to Eat: Can be eaten when fruit is firm (slightly more bitter) or soft (slightly sweeter). Nicknamed "nature's sweet tart."
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Psidium guajava
Also Known As: guayabo, guayaba, strawberry guava, red guava
Types: red/pink pulp (eat when ripe) & white pulp (eat when hard)
Origins: Central America
Season : year-round; May – September peak season
Pack: 25-lb box
When/How to Eat : Thai - can eat when hard (tastes similar to a Granny Smith Apple). Pink - wait until soft and skin slightly darker. Flesh, seeds, and skin all edible.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Spondias dulcis
Also Known As: golden apple, yellow egg, Jamaican june plum, ambarella
Origins: Southeast Asia & Pacific islands
Season: peak summer - year round (Grenada)
Pack: 25-lb flat box
When/How to Eat: Ripen in 1 week after cutting from tree. Eat skin and flesh around seeds. Can be stored for up to 2 weeks in refrigerator once ripe.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Fortunella spp.
Also Known As: Nagami, Meiwa
Origins: South Asia / Pacific region
Season: California from November - June
Chile from July - October
Pack: 10-lb box or clamshell options
When/How to Eat: Ripe when showing bright orange skin; mix of sweet/sour flavor. Ripen at room temperature and can be eaten whole.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Eriobotrya japonica
Also Known As: Japanese plum, Nispero japonica
Origins: central Asia
Season: Chile: September - November
Spain: April - June
Pack: Chile: place-pack
Spain: 6 x 500 gram punnets w/ barcode
When/How to Eat: Ready to eat once harvested at peak ripeness. Can eat skin but make sure not to swallow internal seeds!
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Litchi chinensis
Also Known As: litchi, leechee
Varieties: Brewster, Mauritius
Origins: southeast China
Season: May – early July (FL/MX), December - early February (South Africa)
Pack: 10-lb box or clamshell options
When/How to Eat: Harvested ready from tree once 80% red. Remove shell and inner seed before eating flesh. Store 10-12 days in refrigeration.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Pouteria sapota
Spanish/Common Names: Mamey
Varieties: Magana, Key West
Origins: Caribbean - northern South America
Season: April - October
Pack: 25-lb box
When/How to Eat: A trick you will see people do is scratch the skin to see if flesh shows red color. After harvest, wait until fruit very soft; flesh will be a deep dark pink color.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Mangifera indica
Varieties:
Colombia: Azucar (aka Sugar), Keitt (green)
Dominican Republic: Mingolo, Kesar, Alphonso
FL: Kent, Keitt, Tommy Atkins, Valencia Pride (MIAMI MANGO TM label)
Jamaica: Julie, East Indian, Trini Graham
Origins: southeast Asia
Season: Varies by country of origin
Pack: Units & weight per box vary by country of origin
When/How to Eat: Ripen 2-3 days after cutting from tree. Best practice is to hold mango upright and cut the "cheeks" off from seed.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Passiflora edulis
Also Known As: maracuya, grenadille
Varieties: Panama Red, Possum Trot
Origins: subtropical South America
Season: May - October
Pack: 18 - 36 count box; 7.5lb
When/How to Eat: Can be eaten from the vine or you can wait until fruit is wrinkly for a sweeter flavor.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Ananas comusus
Spanish/Common Names: pina
Varieties: Queen Victoria
Origins: eastern South America
Season: year-round
Pack: 8-12 count flat box
When/How to Eat: Ripe when showing yellow skin and softening; remove skin and entire pulp/core is edible.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Nephelium lappaceum
Spanish/Common Names: mamon chino
Origins: southeast Asia
Season: June - Oct (GUA)
September - late February (HON)
Pack: 5-lb or 6 x 12 oz clamshell box
When/How to Eat: Ripe when cut from tree. Stay fresh up to 7-10 days when refrigerated. Remove soft hairy-like skin and eat flesh from seed.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name : Annona muricata
Varieties: common, mountain, jungle
Spanish/Common Names: guanabana, graviola, kowosol
Origins: northern South America
Season: year-round
Comes in: 10-lb or 40-lb box
When/How to Eat: Ripen 2-3 days after being cut from tree. Cut in half and scoop/detach flesh from skin and remove seeds.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Curcuma longa
Spanish/Common Names: curcuma, curcurmin, the golden spice
Types: orange, white
Origins: southern India
Season: year-round (Jamaica, FL) with summer harvest preferred
Com: 10-lb box or 30-lb mesh bag
When/How to Eat: Leaves above grown start to turn yellow when rhizomes are ready to harvest. Clean thoroughly; store for up to 1-2 weeks room temperature or in refrigerator 3 weeks - month.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Vitis spp.
Spanish/Common Names: BRS Vitoria
Origin: Brazil
Season: August - May
Pack: 6 x 2-lb bags or 10 x 500 gram clamshells per box
When/How to Eat: Just rinse with fresh water and enjoy!
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name:
Yellow Yam: Dioscorea cayenensis
White Yam: Dioscorea alata
Also Known As: name amarilla, name blanca
Origins: Africa, Asia, Caribbean
Season: typically May - October
Pack: 35-lb box
When/How to Eat: Need to cook before consumption.
Nutritional Value:
Scientific Name: Dioscorea trifida
Also Known As: papa china
Origins: Africa, Asia, Caribbean
Season: May - October
Pack: 35-lb box
When/How to Eat: Need to cook before consumption.
Nutritional Value: