From the pomegranate to the pitaya, these are all the fruits that start with p. Learn about their origins, appearance, nutrient content, and more.
1. Papaya
Papaya comes from Mexico and Central America. It’s a tropical fruit (technically a berry) that grows on trees.
The papaya has a bright orange flesh and many black seeds. Plus, it’s a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin A.
2. Passion Fruit
Passion fruit comes in many colors, including red, purple, green, and yellow. It’s native to Brazil.
The inside is full of juicy seeds, which are edible. Common uses include juices and baked goods.
Also known as marcha and maracuya, the passion fruit provides vitamin C, iron, and magnesium.
3. Paw Paw
Related to cherimoya and custard-apple, the paw paw is a fruit that grows on trees native to the U.S. and Canada. In fact, the paw paw is the biggest edible fruit native to the U.S.
Other names include the American papaw. The fruit’s texture is similar to custard and its flavor resembles pineapple, mango, and banana
4. Peach
A fruit native to China, the peach grows on trees. It’s juicy and sweet, and it has a fuzzy peel with a red-orange color.
Peaches are related to plums, apricots, and cherries. Like these fruits, the peach has a large pit in the middle.
The peach is packed with vitamin A, which is needed for good eyesight, and vitamin C, which protects your body from germs.
RELATED: Peach Smoothie
5. Pear
The pear is a fruit shaped like a bell. It’s native to temperate parts of Asia, Europe, and North Africa.
You can eat pears fresh or use them in recipes, including baked goods and jams. They work well in savory dishes as a sauce or in salads.
Pears are very healthy. They contain key nutrients like calcium, vitamin C, vitamin K, choline, and fiber.
6. Pequi Fruit
Also known as souari nut, the pequi is native to Brazil. It’s an interesting fruit due to its sweet and cheesy taste. What’s more, the fruit has a pit surrounded by spines. So in order to eat it without getting hurt, you need to use a specific technique.
Pequi is traditionally eaten with rice. Important nutrients in the fruit include vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, and antioxidant carotenoids.
7. Pinot Noir Grapes
Pinot noir, or Pinot nero, is a type of red grape used to make red wine. They grow in tight clusters on vines.
The grape is native to France. As with other grapes, it’s rich in antioxidant anthocyanins.
8. Prickly Pear
Prickly pear is the fruit of the prickly pear cactus. The plant grows in many parts of the United States, including New Mexico, Florida, and even Ontario.
The fruit is sweet and can be eaten right off the plant. It has several other names, including tuna and simply cactus fruit.
9. Plum
The plum is a stone fruit from eastern Europe and China. It has a dark purple peel and a juicy red-orange flesh.
Plums are enjoyed fresh or in recipes like jams, baked goods, and wine. When dried, they’re known as prunes.
Nutritionally, plums offer fiber for good digestion and vitamin C for immune health. They also have magnesium, iron, and potassium.
10. Pomelo
A relative of the grapefruit, the pomelo is a fruit from Asia. It has a grapefruit flavor but with more sweetness.
Pomelos are shaped like teardrops and can be very large, about the size of a cantaloupe melon. The peel is light green-yellow.
11. Pomegranate
Pomegranates are native to Iran and Afghanistan. They have a firm red-purple peel and are filled with edible dark red seeds.
The seeds are often used to make juice, but you can eat them as is. Other uses include baking, cooking, wine, and savory dishes like salads.
High in nutrients, pomegranates are very healthy. They contain folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, and fiber, which is good for the gut.
12. Pumpkin
Did you know pumpkin is a fruit? Not only that, but it’s actually a type of berry. It’s native to Mexico and Central America.
Pumpkin is eaten cooked and often, pureed. It’s a popular ingredient in pies and smoothies, especially in seasonal autumn recipes.
The fruit is packed with antioxidants beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, which turn into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is a key nutrient for healthy eyesight.
13. Petit Rouge Grape
This type of grape has dark skin and comes from northwestern Italy. It’s specifically used to make tart red wine.
Grapes in general, including this variety, are high in anthocyanins. These are antioxidants and plant pigments that protect your cells from damage.
RELATED: How to Freeze Grapes Properly
14. Pineberry
The pineberry is a kind of strawberry. With red seeds and white flesh, it’s a very unique variety.
It’s called “pineberry” because its flavor is similar to pineapple. The fruit, which is a hybrid between standard Florida strawberries and Japanese white strawberries, was created by a professor in Florida.
Pineberry nutrition is similar to other strawberries. It contains vitamin C, phosphorous, fiber, and vitamin K.
RELATED: Strawberry Smoothie Bowl
15. Pineapple
Pineapple is a tropical fruit native to South America. The fruit starts out as many flowers on top of the plant, which form together to create the pineapple.
A versatile ingredient, pineapple can be eaten fresh and cooked. It can also used in both sweet and savory dishes.
The pineapple is a high source of vitamin C and manganese. Additionally, it contains bromelain, an enzyme that supports protein digestion.
RELATED: 12 Benefits of Eating Pineapple
16. Pili
Pili grows on trees that are native to the Philippines. Also known as pili nuts, the fruits are mainly enjoyed for the seeds, which can be eaten raw or roasted.
Similar to roasted pumpkin, the flavor of a pili seed is slightly buttery. The seed contains nutrients like magnesium, phosphorous, and monounsaturated (“good”) fat.
17. Persimmon
Native to the Southeast U.S., the persimmon is a fruit that grows on trees. Botanically, it’s a type of berry.
The orange skin of the persimmon is edible, so you can eat it like an apple. Some people prefer to peel it. The flavor is also quite mild and sweet.
As with other orange fruits, the persimmon is high in beta-carotenes, or antioxidant plant pigments. They turn into vitamin A in the body.
18. Peumo Fruit
This fruit is native to Chile. A pink-red berry, it has heavy seeds and a juicy pulp, and it can be eaten fresh, dried, or cooked.
A good source of antioxidants, peumo fruits can help reduce your risk of disease. Antioxidants work by lowering cell damage and oxidative stress in the body.
19. Pink Lady Apple
The Pink Lady apple is a variety of apple. They have a round shape and pretty pink peel, which is why they’re called Pink Lady apples.
Crispy and sweet-tart, the apple has a white flesh that doesn’t brown easily. Nutritionally, it’s similar to other apples, as it’s high in fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants.
RELATED: Apple Smoothie
20. Pluot
A pluot is a cross between a plum and apricot. It’s also known as a plumco, pluclot, aprium, and apriplum, depending on the varieties used.
Pluots are very sweet and juicy. The peel is dark orange-red with a purple blush, while the flesh is red-purple.
The nutrient content of a pluot is similar to plums and apricots. It’s rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, and potassium.
21. Ponderosa Lemon
A hybrid between a lemon and citron, the Ponderosa lemon is a fruit commonly grow in home gardens.
It’s high in vitamin C, just like other citrus fruits. Vitamin C helps your immune cells destroy germs that make you sick.
22. Pink Pearl Apple
The Pink Pearl apple has a yellow-pink skin and bright pink flesh. It’s a variety of apple that was developed by California breeders.
With a firm flesh and sweet-tart flavor, the Pink Pearl apple is great for baking. The nutritional profile is similar to other apples, as it’s high in gut-friendly fiber and immune-boosting vitamin C.
23. Plantain
Plantains are also known as cooking bananas because they’re often used in cooked savory recipes. They’re larger than standard bananas and sweet in flavor.
Native to southeast Asia, plantains are used in traditional cuisines all over the world. This includes Caribbean, South American, African, and Southeast Asian cuisines, just to name a few.
Fiber is a major nutrient found in plantains. Other nutrients include vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium, and iron.
RELATED: Banana Smoothie
24. Pomato
The pomato is a man-made fruit. It’s a cross between a potato and a tomato, which are both part of the nightshade family.
Pomatos have a white flesh, but they’re small and similar to tomatoes. However, you probably won’t find them in stores, as they have to be grown in a very special conditions.
25. Pitaya
The pitaya, or dragon fruit, is native to Central and South America. It’s a bright and showy fruit, as it has a vibrant pink skin with green “scales” like a dragon.
Pitaya flesh can be red-pink, white, or yellow, depending on the type. Its flavor is mild and sweet, a bit like mild kiwi.
As a source of fiber and vitamin C, pitaya is a healthy ingredients for smoothies and other recipes. The fiber is key for digestion, while vitamin C is needed for immunity and skin health.
RELATED: Dragon Fruit Smoothie
26. Palm Chestnut
Palm chestnuts are the fruit of the peach palm, a tree from Central and South America. The fruit, which also called peach palm, is edible and usually cooked and sweetened.
With their orange-yellow flesh and round shape, the fruits look like heart-shaped red mangos. They grow in clusters and are high in fiber.
27. Parsonage Pear
Grown from the European pear, the Parsonage is a large type of pear. It has a yellow skin and ripens at the end of September.
Pears, including this variety, are excellent sources of fiber. Other nutrients include vitamin C, vitamin B6, and magnesium.
28. Pigface Fruit
Pigface fruit grows on a succulent plant called pigface, sour fig, or ice plant. The plant, which grows on coasts, originated from South Africa, Australia, and Chile.
The fruit has a purple-red color and flavor like a fig. It’s high in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, which can lower the risk of disease.
29. Palestinian Sweet Lime
Also known as the Indian sweet lime or simply “sweet lime,” the Palestinian sweet lime is from the Middle East. It’s a cross between a mandarin/pomelo fruit and the citron.
Like lemon and lime, the sweet lime is used to flavor food. It can also be made into juices. The flavor is tangy and the texture is juicy.
30. Pacific Rose Apple
Pacific Rose is a variety of apple from New Zealand. It has a mild, sweet flavor with floral notes.
A cross between the Splendour and Gala apples, it has a firm texture, making it good for baking. It’s packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber, just like other apples.
31. Pepino Melon
Pepino melons, sometimes called melon pears or pepinos, taste like a combination of cucumber and honeydew. It grows on plants native to South America.
In terms of appearance, the pepino melon has a light gold skin that’s edible. The skin also has purple and green stripes.