12 Fruits That Start With Z

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Although these fruits are unique, there are plenty of fruits that start with Z. If you want to incorporate some new fruits into your life, you will love this helpful list! You might enjoy the variety of different fruits beginning with Z – some of which you not have heard of before!

This list of fruits is shorter than some because it’s the last letter of the alphabet and let’s face it, how many fruits start with z? I found twelve fruits beginning with the letter z that range from sweet and savory to tart and juicy!

Fruits That Start With Z

Some of these are going to be fruits you’ve heard of, some might surprise you (did you know that zucchini is a fruit?), and some are going to be new to you! Let’s get into this list of fruits:

1. Ziziphus Jujube Fruit

Ziziphus jujubes is first on our z fruits list. Also known as the red date, Chinese date, or jujuba, this fruit grows on the ziziphus mauritiana shrub and resembles the texture and flavor of an apple while it is immature. Once the fruit has ripened, the fruit turns brown and resembles the appearance of a date.

It is best to eat a jujube once it’s matured, since an unripe fruit tastes chalky and bitter. Once ripened, they have a sweet, mild flavor that’s slightly tart. Look for one that’s between yellow-green and red.

This sweet fruit is enjoyed throughout the world in various forms such as dried, fresh, and fermented. It can have many purposes when it comes to cooking and baking. In some places, jujube is enjoyed in teas and made into different vinegars.

Jujubes make for a sweet snack, and they’re healthy too! Jujubes are low in calories but high in nutrients and fiber! Just be careful when buying dried jujubes, look for ones with no added sugar and enjoy in moderation!

Feel free to try this date-like fruit in this recipe for homemade date bars!

2. Zhe Fruit

Zhe fruit is grown on the zhe fruit tree. Its scientific name is the Maclura tricuspidata tree, but it goes by many names such as mandarin melon berry, che, Chinese mulberry, and cudrang. Often, this fruit is compared to the mulberry.

Zhe fruits tastes similar to a canteloupe or watermelon. They are smooth, sweet, and mild with similar textures, and are rich in vitamins and minerals. The fruit of zhe trees has different flavors depending on how ripe it is.

Try this fruit in a recipe that you might ordinarily use figs in – like jam!

3. Melodorum Leichhardtii or Zig Zag Tree Vine

This vine loves heavily humid rainforests and the fruits on the ends of the foliage look like tiny, pastel, orange berries. The evergreen shrub of the vine acts as a canopy in different rainforests around Papua New Guinea and eastern Australia.

Zig-zag vine is bright orange and relatively sweet in flavor. It tastes like a combination of orange sherbet and citrus fruit. Grown on the vines of the zig-zag vine fruit trees, this fruit is frequently used in sauces or to make a liqueur.

4. Zante Currants

Zante currants are raisins made from the small, seedless grape cultivar Black Corinth. Corinth raisins are some of the oldest raisins and are enjoyed throughout the world.

These tiny sweet fruits are similar to raisins in their appearance and flavor. They are commonly enjoyed in various baked goods such as scones, biscuits, bread, and more. You can also add them ice cream, yogurt, or cereal! They have been a common ingredient in British cuisine for centuries.

Try them in this recipe for vegan fruit cake!

5. Zinfandel Grapes

What Is A Zinfandel Grape?

Zinfandel grapes are a type of black-skinned wine grapes. The grapes came to North America in the mid-nineteenth century and are grown in 10 percent of California vineyards.

These grapes are most often used in making wine and desserts because they are sweet and produce such rich flavors. Zinfandel wine is a enjoyed in several regions of the world and comes in a variety of flavors depending on the stage of the grapes.

6. Zucchini

Zucchini is probably a z-fruit you’ve heard of! Found in just about every grocery store, zucchini is a vining plant that produces a fruit that is also known as a baby marrow.

The origins of zucchini relate to the very first squash but are their own species. You can find zucchini ranging in colors from deep green to yellow when the fruits have fully matured. Zucchini has a mild yet sweet flavor and tender texture.

Harvesting zucchini is a common activity the majority of home gardeners do each summer as they patiently await their fruits to create yummy recipes such as zucchini fritters, zucchini pizza boats, baby food, vegetarian lasagna, air-fried zucchini, and more.

Great as an addition to all kinds of cooked dishes, zucchini can also be a healthy snack when cut into sticks and served with a dip like hummus or ranch dressing!

7. Zwetschge

This Italian-style plum is egg-shaped and a European variety that is regularly used to make prunes, Italian dessert, and baked goods. The pits are freestone which means you can easily remove the pits from the fruits.

Prune plums come in all different types of varieties and usually are small and dense compared to other types of fresh fruit. This simple fruit has a sweet taste yet tart with a ruby-red juice that tastes delicious in preserves!

Prunes are high in fiber, and can help ease constipation due to their high sorbitol content (source). You can easily turn these plums into a prune puree that you can use in all kinds of desserts!

8. Zalzalak

The zalzalak fruit also referred to as crataegus, is the Iranian name for the crab apple-style fruit that grows on shrubs and trees in the Rosaceae family. The colors of the crataegus fruit are light pink and hints of vibrant red similar to different shades of crab apples.

The fruits, also known as the haws, are berry-like but resemble peaches and plums with a sweet and sour flavor to them. Hawthorn fruit is commonly used in making wines, jams, and jellies across the world from Mexico to the United Kingdom.

9. Zarzamora

Zarzamora is the Spanish terminology for blackberries and their bushes. Blackberries are tiny berries that are tart, sweet, and juicy and found on shrubs belonging to the Rosaceae family.

You can find blackberries all across the world including the United States growing like weeds. This sweet fruit is actually considered a pest to some!

Blackberries have a sweet yet tart flavor perfect for desserts! You can make a variety of different things with fresh and frozen blackberries like pies, smoothies, salad dressings, jellies and jams, sauces, tartines, and more! Try them in this recipe for a mixed berry smoothie!

10. Zawngtah

A zawngtah is a unique fruit, also known as a bitter bean or stink bean is a plant that bears flat, long edible beans. The beans contain seeds the shape and size of almonds that smell similar to a mushroom.

The flavors can be quite nutty like almonds and are commonly used in cooking savory foods like shrimp, garlic, peppers, and more.

Zawngtah seeds can be eaten by themselves or with the entire pod like a green bean. Most often, zawngtah is paired with different proteins as a side dish mixed with other fresh ingredients and spices.

11. Zabergau Reinette Apples

The Zabergau Reinette is a German Russet apple with a white flesh copper-yellow color. This apple is considered a winter apple with a strong flavor that mellows after it’s picked and stored.

These apples have a sharp flavor and sturdy flesh when eaten straight from a tree. After they are stored for a month or so, they are much sweeter.

Try them in this keto apple pie recipe, or in these apple carrot muffins!

12. Zebra Fruit

Zebra fruit is a round green fruit with yellow stripes that is in the tomato family. Green zebras are more tart and spicy than your traditional tomato and are even considered an heirloom by some.

Green zebras are tarter than your average tomato. You can tell this variety of tomato is ripe when the bottoms of the tomato are yellow accompanied with yellow stripes. They make a great addition to fruit salad and salsa or as a tasty snack! They aren’t ideal for tomato sauce with their naturally tart flavor, but they would taste great in this tomato avocado cucumber salad!

💭 Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed this list of fruits that start with Z! Fruits starting with z are harder to find, but they’re out there! There are so many different types of fruit and fruit names from around the world that have unique flavors. From the United States and South America to Southeast Asia and the middle east, there are endless ways to use these international fruits.

More Fruit & Food Guides!

If you would like to try more foods that start with different letters of the alphabet, then be sure to check out the following list below.

• Foods That Start With A
• Food That Start With B
• Foods That Start With C
• Foods That Start With D
• Foods That Start With I
• Fruits That Start With O
• Foods That Start With U

Don’t forget to take a look at my other healthy eating guides so you can enjoy healthy, tasty food that the entire family will enjoy!