Looking for fruits that start with Y? It is a trickier letter than apple, banana or mango, but there are still some brilliant finds. Some are everyday fruits with yellow varieties, some are regional specialities, and a few are more likely to turn up in world food shops, frozen sections or online.

This guide covers the most useful Y fruits, what they taste like, how to eat them, and where you might find them in the UK without wasting money on something you will not use.

Fruits That Start With Y: Quick List

Here is a quick look at the Y fruits covered in this guide.

• Yuzu
• Yellow passion fruit
• Yangmei
• Yumberry
• Youngberry
• Ya pear
• Yali pear
• Yellow watermelon
• Yellow dragon fruit
• Yellow guava
• Yellow plum
• Yellow cherry
• Yellow apple varieties
• Yellow mombin
• Yamamomo
• York Imperial apple

1. Yuzu

Yuzu is one of the best-known fruits beginning with Y. It is a small citrus fruit from East Asia, particularly associated with Japanese, Korean and Chinese cooking. It looks a little like a bumpy lemon or small grapefruit, with a powerful fragrance and a sharp, tart flavour.

You are unlikely to eat yuzu like an orange. It is usually used for its juice and zest, much like lemon or lime, but with a more floral, complex taste.

How to use yuzu

• Add a little yuzu juice to dressings and marinades.
• Use yuzu zest in cakes, biscuits or icing.
• Mix yuzu juice with soy sauce for a simple dipping sauce.
• Add a splash to sparkling water, cocktails or hot honey drinks.

Money-saving tip

Fresh yuzu can be expensive in the UK. Bottled yuzu juice, yuzu paste or frozen yuzu zest is often better value if you only need a small amount. Check Asian supermarkets and compare the price per 100ml before buying.

2. Yellow Passion Fruit

Yellow passion fruit is a golden-skinned variety of passion fruit. It tends to be slightly larger than the purple type and can have a sharper, more tropical flavour. Inside, you will find fragrant pulp and crunchy edible seeds.

It is lovely spooned over yoghurt, porridge, pavlova, pancakes or ice cream. The sharpness also works well with rich desserts, especially cheesecake and chocolate.

How to choose yellow passion fruit

A ripe passion fruit often looks a bit wrinkled rather than perfectly smooth. If it feels heavy for its size and smells fragrant, that is usually a good sign. Avoid fruit that feels very light, dry or mouldy.

3. Yangmei

Yangmei, also known as Chinese bayberry, is a small red fruit with a bumpy surface and juicy flesh. The flavour is sweet, tart and berry-like, sometimes compared with strawberry, cranberry or pomegranate. It is popular in parts of China and is often eaten fresh, dried, juiced or preserved.

Fresh yangmei is not common in standard UK supermarkets, but you may find yangmei products in Asian food shops or online. Look for dried yangmei, yangmei juice, preserved yangmei or frozen packs.

How to eat yangmei

• Eat fresh yangmei as a snack if you can find it.
• Use dried yangmei like dried cranberries in snack mixes.
• Add yangmei juice to mocktails or smoothies.
• Serve preserved yangmei with plain yoghurt to balance the sweetness.

4. Yumberry

Yumberry is another name often used for yangmei, especially in drinks and snack products. If you see yumberry juice, yumberry sweets or yumberry flavouring, it is usually based on Chinese bayberry.

The name sounds modern, but the fruit itself has been grown and enjoyed for a long time. In the UK, yumberry is more likely to appear as a bottled drink or flavouring than as a fresh fruit.

5. Youngberry

Youngberry is a dark, juicy hybrid berry related to blackberry, raspberry and dewberry. It was developed in the United States and is named after B.M. Young. The fruit is deep purple when ripe, with a sweet-tart taste and soft texture.

Youngberries are not as easy to find as blackberries or raspberries in UK shops, but they may appear at specialist fruit farms, local markets or as plants for home growing.

Best uses for youngberries

• Jam and jelly
• Crumble or cobbler
• Smoothies
• Berry compote
• Pancake topping
• Homemade ice lollies

Budget idea

If you cannot find youngberries, use blackberries instead. They are much easier to pick for free in late summer and early autumn, provided you forage safely away from busy roads and wash them well.

6. Ya Pear

Ya pear is a pale, crisp Asian pear variety, often grown in China. It has a juicy texture and a mild, sweet flavour. Unlike a soft Conference pear, Ya pears are usually eaten while still firm and crunchy.

You may spot Ya pears in Asian supermarkets or larger international grocers. They are refreshing eaten chilled and sliced, and they work well in lunchboxes because they hold their shape nicely.

How to serve Ya pear

• Slice and eat fresh with cheese.
• Add thin slices to salads.
• Serve with peanut butter or almond butter.
• Dice into a fruit salad for crunch.
• Use in slaws with carrot, cabbage and lime dressing.

7. Yali Pear

Yali pear is another Asian pear variety and is sometimes confused with Ya pear. It is crisp, juicy and aromatic, with a pale yellow-green skin. The texture is closer to an apple than a soft European pear.

Yali pears can be used in much the same way as Ya pears. They are particularly good raw, as cooking can reduce their delicate flavour. If you have bought too many, try slicing them into a salad or adding them to a packed lunch rather than letting them sit in the fruit bowl.

8. Yellow Watermelon

Yellow watermelon looks much like regular watermelon from the outside, but the flesh inside is bright yellow rather than red. It is sweet, juicy and refreshing, with a flavour that can be slightly honey-like.

In the UK, yellow watermelon is most common in summer and may be sold whole, halved or in mixed melon packs. Whole melons often work out cheaper per kilo, but only if you can use them before they spoil.

Ways to use yellow watermelon

• Cut into wedges for a simple snack.
• Cube and mix with feta, mint and cucumber.
• Blend into a cold summer drink.
• Freeze cubes for smoothies.
• Use in fruit skewers for picnics.

9. Yellow Dragon Fruit

Yellow dragon fruit, also called yellow pitaya, has bright yellow skin and white flesh dotted with tiny black seeds. It is usually sweeter than the pink-skinned dragon fruit found in many supermarkets.

The flesh is soft, juicy and mildly tropical. It is easy to prepare: simply cut it in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.

Buying tip

Yellow dragon fruit can be pricey, so buy one to try before stocking up. Choose fruit that feels heavy for its size and gives slightly when pressed. Avoid any with large soft, brown or leaking patches.

10. Yellow Guava

Yellow guava is a tropical fruit with yellow skin and fragrant flesh that may be white, cream, pink or red depending on the variety. The flavour is sweet, floral and slightly tangy.

Guava can be eaten fresh, juiced, blended into smoothies or cooked into jams and pastes. The seeds are edible, although some people find them hard, so you may prefer to strain guava pulp for sauces and drinks.

How to make guava go further

If you find ripe yellow guavas reduced, blend the flesh with a little water and freeze it in ice cube trays. The cubes can be added to smoothies, yoghurt bowls or homemade ice lollies.

11. Yellow Plum

Yellow plums are sweet, juicy stone fruits with golden skin and flesh. In the UK, you may see varieties such as Mirabelle plums, Victoria-type yellowish plums, or imported yellow plums depending on the season.

They are excellent for crumbles, jams and compotes because their sweet-sharp flavour becomes richer when cooked.

Cheap and easy yellow plum compote

Simmer chopped yellow plums with a splash of water and a little sugar or honey until soft. Serve with porridge, yoghurt, rice pudding or pancakes. It is a useful way to rescue fruit that is slightly too soft for snacking.

12. Yellow Cherry

Yellow cherries include pale golden and blush-coloured varieties such as Rainier-style cherries. They are sweet, delicate and often less tart than dark red cherries.

They can be expensive, especially out of season. If you see them reduced, check carefully for mould or split skins and eat them quickly. Cherries do not last long once they are very ripe.

13. Yellow Apple Varieties

Apples may not begin with Y, but yellow apples are worth including in an alphabet foods list because many people search by colour as well as name. Popular yellow or golden varieties include Golden Delicious, Opal, Crispin and some heritage apples.

Yellow apples are usually sweet, mild and good for snacking. Slightly older apples can be cooked rather than thrown away.

Frugal uses for yellow apples

• Apple crumble
• Stewed apple for porridge
• Apple sauce for roast pork
• Lunchbox slices with lemon juice to slow browning
• Baked apples with oats and cinnamon

14. Yellow Mombin

Yellow mombin is a tropical fruit from the Spondias family. It is also known as hog plum in some places. The fruit is small, yellow to orange, and has a tangy flavour. It is often used for juices, jams, sauces and preserves rather than eaten as a standard dessert fruit.

Fresh yellow mombin is rare in the UK, but you may come across it in Caribbean, Latin American or West African food shops as frozen pulp, juice or preserves.

15. Yamamomo

Yamamomo is a Japanese name for a fruit closely related to yangmei. It is also associated with the Japanese bayberry or wax myrtle. The fruit is small, red and sweet-tart, with a textured surface.

It is not a common UK supermarket fruit, but it belongs on a comprehensive list of fruits that start with Y because it is a recognised edible fruit name. In practice, yangmei and yamamomo are the names you are most likely to see in specialist food contexts.

16. York Imperial Apple

York Imperial is an apple variety that starts with Y. It is an American heritage apple, known for its slightly lopsided shape and firm flesh. It is often used for baking and storage.

You are unlikely to find York Imperial apples in a regular UK supermarket, but apple enthusiasts may recognise the name. For everyday cooking, use a firm, slightly tart apple such as Braeburn, Granny Smith or a British cooking apple instead.

Fruits Beginning With Y: Taste and Use Guide

If you are choosing a Y fruit for a school project, quiz, themed meal or alphabet food challenge, this table should help.

How to Save Money When Buying Unusual Y Fruits

Some fruits beginning with Y are specialist imports, so prices can vary a lot. A few sensible shopping habits can keep costs down.

• Try one first: If a fruit is new to you, buy a single piece before spending more.
• Check world food shops: Asian, Caribbean and international supermarkets often have better ranges and better prices on specialist fruit.
• Look for frozen pulp: Guava, passion fruit and tropical fruit pulps are often cheaper frozen and reduce waste.
• Compare fresh with bottled: For yuzu, bottled juice may be far more practical than fresh fruit.
• Use reduced fruit quickly: Soft fruit and ripe tropical fruit can spoil fast, so have a plan before buying yellow-sticker bargains.
• Cook tired fruit: Plums, apples and pears can be turned into compote, crumble or sauce instead of going in the bin.

Food Safety and Storage Tips

Most fruit is simple to store, but a few basics help it last longer and stay pleasant to eat.

• Wash fresh fruit under running water before eating, cutting or cooking.
• Keep cut fruit in the fridge and eat it within a couple of days.
• Store berries and cherries in the fridge, but avoid washing them until you are ready to use them.
• Keep whole melons at room temperature if uncut, then refrigerate once sliced.
• Discard fruit that is mouldy, slimy, leaking or smells fermented in an unpleasant way.

FAQs About Fruits That Start With Y

What fruit starts with the letter Y?

Fruits that start with Y include yuzu, youngberry, yangmei, yumberry, Ya pear, Yali pear, yellow passion fruit, yellow watermelon, yellow dragon fruit, yellow guava and yellow plum.

Is yuzu a fruit?

Yes, yuzu is a citrus fruit. It is usually used for its juice and zest rather than eaten whole because it is very sharp and aromatic.

What is the most common Y fruit?

Yuzu is probably the best-known fruit beginning with Y by name. If you include colour-based names, yellow watermelon, yellow plum and yellow passion fruit are also fairly recognisable.

Are there any British fruits that start with Y?

There are not many native or common British fruits whose main name starts with Y. However, yellow plum varieties, yellow apples and specialist berries such as youngberry may be grown in the UK.

What does yangmei taste like?

Yangmei has a sweet-tart, juicy flavour often compared with berries such as strawberry, cranberry or raspberry. It can be eaten fresh, dried, preserved or used in drinks.

Can I buy yuzu in UK supermarkets?

Fresh yuzu is not common in standard UK supermarkets, though it may appear seasonally or in specialist shops. Bottled yuzu juice, yuzu seasoning and yuzu-flavoured products are usually easier to find.

Which Y fruits are best for children to try?

Yellow watermelon, Ya pear, yellow plums and yellow apples are good options because they are sweet, easy to eat and not too unusual in texture. Yuzu is better used as a flavouring in drinks, cakes or sauces.

Which fruits that start with Y are best for desserts?

Yellow passion fruit, yellow plums, youngberries, yellow cherries and yellow guava are all excellent in desserts. Use them in crumbles, compotes, yoghurt bowls, cheesecakes, pavlovas or homemade ice lollies.