You can Thank Science For These 14 Unique Hybrid Fruits

If there is a central rule governing the universe, science will always manage to brandish some fantastic new creations. Just as evolution has gradually changed the species that inhabit the earth, science has also altered the natural landscape of the world around us.

A case in point is the miraculous combination of certain fruits, plants, and vegetables out in the wild – several of which appear as a colorful mix between two or more pre-existing fruit family members.

From hearty citrus fruits to cross-bred berries that taste suspiciously of pineapple, here are some of the most unique hybrid fruits the scientific world has yet to see.

Aprium

Technically speaking, apriums aren’t exactly a 50/50 cross between their respective parent plants. Instead, it owes far more to apricot than to plum, even if its resulting taste has a notable plum-like tinge. In terms of its appearance, the aprium looks like a standard apricot you’d purchase in a grocery store, from its orange skin and slightly fuzzy surface to its characteristically firm texture.

Blood Lime

Slightly smaller than the already fun-sized lime, blood limes are a product of an Australian red finger lime and either a Rangpur lime or an Ellendale mandarin. Retaining the tartness of lime and combining it with a hint of sweetness of its mandarin parent, blood limes are a complex Australian product unlike any other.

Jostaberry

A wonderful source of vitamin C, jostaberries serve as a flavorful blend between black currant and both North American and European gooseberries. The resulting fruit is a dark (almost black) berry with sweet grape and tart blueberry undertones.

Limequat

One part key lime, one part kumquat, limequats are notoriously difficult to eat on their own, with many people expressing difficulty getting over the sour combination of its respective parent plants.

As a result, it’s more often used as a supporting ingredient in certain meals, with some preferring to add a squeeze of limequat juice to salsa, guacamole, salad dressings, and assorted jams and jellies.

Mandarinquat

More readily known to fruit enthusiasts as an orangequat, the term “mandarinquat” refers to any hybrid between a mandarin and a kumquat. Though it has a similar consistency to mandarins, the taste of the fruit is more closely aligned with a kumquat’s tart flavor.

Nectaplum

Quite possibly the sweetest hybrid fruit the scientific world has ever seen, nectaplums are a unique blend between a nectarine and a plum. Combining the unique flavor of both fruits together, the ensuing taste is a mouthwateringly sweet sensation with just the slightest hint of acidity.

Orangelo

It’s totally understandable if the infamously tart grapefruit isn’t your cup of tea. Luckily, there’s an incredible alternative to the strong-tasting grapefruit with its hybrid cousin, orangelo. A cross between a grapefruit and an orange, orangelos have a similar consistency as a grapefruit, albeit with a sweet citrus taste reminiscent of oranges.

Peacherine

If you love peaches but intensely dislike the fruit’s fuzzier surface, peacherines are the next best option for you. Lacking their peach parents’ hairy texture, peacherines retain the sweetness of both a peach and a tangerine.

Pineberry

We don’t know how a cross between European white strawberries and red strawberries came to taste like pineapples, but that’s exactly what happened with pineberries. Though it may look like a wholly under-ripe strawberry, pineberries are known for their fantastic flavor profiles, with many describing it as highly reminiscent of pineapples’ distinct taste.

I grow these in my garden every year, and love them. Although, since they’ve mixed with my strawberries, I have a hard time knowing which are pineberries and which are unripened strawberries!

Pluerry

As if plums weren’t cute enough already, pluerries shrink everyone’s favorite purple fruit down to size even further. The halfway point between a cherry and a plum, pluerries bring the sweetness of a cherry with the slightly sour undertones of a plum. (Just be warned: some pluerries have pits, so please be careful before you take a hearty bite of this wondrous marvel of scientific innovation.)

Pluot

Among the more popular fruit hybrids currently in existence, pluots are a cross between a juicy plum and a more refined apricot. Borrowing elements from each of its parent fruits’ taste, pluots are known for their ample sweetness, as well as for its more succulent consistency.

Rangpur

While it might look like an average orange, underneath its outer layer, rangpurs harbor the sharp, acidic taste of its lemon parentage. An ideal alternative to lemon or lime, rangpurs are best served in various ways, from a refreshing garnish on a summer salad to wedged slices added to a chilled glass of water.

Tayberry 

A perfect addition to your morning helping of fruit salad and yogurt, tayberries are a genetic cross between a red raspberry and a traditional blackberry. Though it bears a strong physical resemblance to a raspberry, its sharp, almost bitter taste is more readily reminiscent of a blackberry.

Ugli

Don’t let the name fool you – there’s nothing ugly about this delightful Caribbean delicacy. More commonly known as the Jamaican tangelo, ugli fruit serves as a cross between a grapefruit, an orange, and a tangerine. It may not be the prettiest fruit to look at, but beneath its misshapen outer peel is a rich, refreshing treat that adequately combats the heat of its tropical island home.