Fruits are excellent natural sources of vitamin C, fiber and anti-oxidants so it just stands to reason the more you eat, the healthier you’ll be… and if you only have one fruit to eat, why not make it the largest of its kind? The 10 largest fruits featured here are more than just meals in themselves, they’re literally outstanding in their fields.
World’s Largest Apples
(images via: Travelpod, Elemental and Jack’s Reviews)</span
How do you like THEM apples? As the top image illustrates, big apples aren’t always the best apples: the bigger the fruit, the harder it is to take a bite out of it. There are many contenders to the title of “biggest apples” but generally, apples display quite a lot of size variation from fruit to fruit and even from branch to branch.
(image via: Neatorama)
Japan’s Hokuto apples, a hybrid of the Fuji and Mutsu varieties, are known for their large average size so it’s not surprising that a representative of this variety dropped into the Guinness World Records for being the world’s heaviest apple. Discovered by apple farmer Chisato Iwasaki of Hirosaki City, Japan, on October 24th of 2005, the choice Hokuto apple above tipped the scales at 1,849 grams (about 4 lbs 1 oz).
World’s Largest Oranges
(images via: Want China Times and Taiwan Today)
Orange you glad somebody’s trying to make oranges bigger? Sure you are, and that certain someone happens to be Huang Ah-Hsien of Taiwan’s Agricultural Research Institute. Huang’s not known as the “God of Citrus” for nothing: in his 20-year career at the Institute he’s created 170 new types of citrus fruits. He’s hit the motherlode, however, with the mother of all oranges – the King Orange that’s as big as your face and weighs about a pound & a third (0.6 kg) each.
(images via: Paul McRae and Odd Locations on Google Maps)
It may not be edible but Eli’s Orange World is definitely big. The Kissimmee, Florida landmark opened in 1973, is proud to call itself the “World’s Largest Orange,” and is your one stop shop for all things sweet & citrusy.
World’s Largest Bananas
(images via: Raw Food Health, Aaron’s Farm and ATG Tree)
Whose the real Top Banana? Meet the Rhino Horn Plantain, a hybrid banana cultivar originating in Africa that bears fruit up to 2 feet (60cm) long – though average specimens range from 12 to 14 inches (about 32cm).
(images via: Wonders of the World)
Don’t be put off by the “plantain” thing, these jumbo specimens taste great raw or fried. Trouble is, the kids are gonna need MUCH bigger lunchboxes to hold ’em.
World’s Largest Grapes
(images via: Believe It or Not)
A number of different grapes have laid claim to being the world’s largest at one time or another but only Japan’s Ruby Roman grapes are both huge in size as well as in price. In 2009, a Japanese hotel manager paid a whopping $910 for a 1.5 pound (700g) bunch of tomato-red Ruby Romans. That works out to around $26 per grape… they’d BETTER be big!
(image via: WAHM)
When it comes to Muscadine Grapes, one’s as good as a bunch. These thick-skinned grapes are native to the southeastern USA and over 300 cultivars have been bred – some as large as plums!
World’s Largest Strawberries
(images via: MaxMagnusNorman, The Westberg Family, 66 Square Feet and Deviantart/Turmaly1)
Strawberries are as unpredictable as it comes, when it comes to size. Sure, some cultivars tend to bear larger fruit than what buyers might expect but even the average berry patch can suddenly deliver a monster strawberry that looks as if it performed some sort of organic, botanic Vulcan mind meld with 1, 2 or 3 of its neighbors.
(images via: CDHall and Odd Locations on Google Maps)
Strawberries are quite cute as fruits go and a notable number of buildings, hot air balloons and even amusement park rides have been rendered in their likenesses. Take the “World’s Largest Strawberry”, a round red roadside sales shack at The Berry Patch on US 220 south of Ellerbe, North Carolina, for instance. You just know a strawberry pie bought there (and eaten hot & fresh on the picnic table) is gonna taste extra-special!
