Fruits come in all shapes and sizes. Some are big and juicy like watermelons and pineapples. Others are small and bite-sized, perfect for snacking or using in recipes. Small fruits may be lesser known but they are no less delicious or nutritious. How much do you know about fruits on the smaller side? Test your knowledge with this collection of 75 riddles about small fruits and their answers.
Riddles about Berries
Strawberries
Let’s start with one of the most popular berries around:
I’m red and seeded, delicious shortcake topping.
You can eat me fresh or use me for jam.
June is the month when I’m ripe for the plucking.
A strawberry is what I am!
With their bright red color and sweet juicy taste, strawberries are an undeniable summer treat. Keep reading for more berry riddles!
Blueberries
Can you guess this petite, purple-blue fruit?
I’m quite tiny and grow in clusters so near,
My color resembles a blueberry clear.
In muffins and pancakes I’m often found,
I’m tasty in pies where my juices abound.
Blueberries pack huge flavor and nutrients into their tiny round packages. Their deep blue hue makes them easy to identify.
Blackberries
See if you know this dark, deliciously tangy fruit:
I’m a small, dark fruit that grows on a bush,
With a flavor both tart and quite succulent.
In the summer I ripen to a deep purple black,
I’m delicious in pies ― what berry am I, in fact?
Wild blackberries are a forager’s treasure, growing abundantly in many parts of the country.
Raspberries
How about this next berry, which ranges from red to black in color?
I’m a fragile berry hollow inside,
With colors from yellow to red.
I grow on a bush with leaves serrated,
In desserts I am commonly threaded.
With their delicate, almost seamless texture, raspberries are one of the most elegant berries. Handle them with care!
Cranberries
Let’s move on to a berry synonymous with Thanksgiving:
I’m quite tart and very much on the small side,
At Thanksgiving dinner I’m a staple with pride.
I’m bright crimson in color, grown on a low vine.
In sauce and in relish my flavors shine.
High in antioxidants and incredibly tart, cranberries are a vitamin powerhouse disguised as a petite red berry.
Riddles about Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits pack a flavorful, zesty punch. See if you can identify these small, sour fruits from their descriptions:
Kumquats
This first citrus is extra tiny and oval-shaped:
I’m an extra small citrus that’s sweet and yet sour,
My thin skin is edible – that’s not very common.
I’m delicious sliced up in fruit salads galore,
And in chutneys and salsas I also get wormed.
Kumquats can be eaten whole since their skins are thin and edible – no peeling required!
Key Limes
How about this citrus essential for key lime pie?
I’m a small, tart green fruit that some call a lime,
Though compared to a regular lime, I’m much smaller in size.
Key lime pie is the dish where I prominently shine,
My tangy, unique flavor you’ll instantly recognize.
Key limes are smaller and more acidic than regular limes, lending their name to the classic Key lime pie.
Tangerines
You’ll feel merry and bright if you guess this citrus correctly:
My segments divide in their own little cases,
I’m the sweetest of citrus with bright orange faces.
Christmas stockings and songs refer to me by name,
I taste just like a fresh, juicy mandarin.
Tangerines are a type of mandarin orange distinguished by their bright hue and loose, easily peeled skin.
Riddles about Tropical Fruits
Let’s go tropical! See if you can identify these small, exotic fruits:
Passionfruit
First up, this colorful tropical treat:
I come from a vine producing fruits with smooth skin,
Inside, pulpy sacs where my seeds are all hidden.
I’m aromatic and musky, with flavors divine,
Yellow or purple, as passionfruit I’m defined.
Passionfruit is indigenous to South America but loved all around the world for its heady, tropical aroma.
Pitaya
Also known as dragonfruit, this next tropical fruit has vivid coloring:
My shape and my name are both quite outrageous,
With spikes on my skin in a color that’s courageous.
Inside I am dotted with tiny black seeds,
And my taste is as sweet as my appearance and deeds.
With its hot pink skin and green scaled exterior, pitaya / dragonfruit is unforgettable when you see it.
Guava
Lastly, see if you recognize this fragrant tropical fruit:
I’m an oval fruit with green bumpy skin,
My insides are pink with edible seeds within.
I have a unique and aromatic perfume,
In warm tropical climates I flourish and bloom.
Guava has a powerful, sweet scent underlying its flavor. A little goes a long way when cooking with this fruit.
Riddles about Stone Fruits
Moving from the tropics to stone fruits, which have a pit or “stone” in the center. Can you identify these summery fruits in riddle form?
Plums
First up, this purplish oval-shaped fruit:
My skin may be red, black, or purple-blue,
With sweet, tender flesh surrounding my core.
I’m delicious fresh off the tree or in jam,
With flavors that deepen more and more.
Plums come in many varieties, each with a distinct coloring on the outside and flavor profile inside.
Cherries
How about this red or yellow-blushed fruit, often paired with its twin:
I’m a small round fruit with a stem and a pit,
My skin can be yellow, red, or almost black.
I grow in clusters, ripe for the picking,
Fresh off the tree is the best way to snack.
Cherries are like candy – nature’s candy!
Apricots
Next up is this little fruit with sweet orange flesh:
I’m an orange fruit that’s fuzzy and round,
With a large pit inside that is easily found.
I’m often dried to create a chewy treat,
Fresh off the tree, just cantaloupe I beat.
Apricots are highly seasonal, reaching peak ripeness for just a few weeks in mid-summer.
Peaches
Lastly, take a guess at this blushing fruit:
With orangey-gold flesh and peach fuzz on my skin,
I’m dripping with nectar, juicy and sweet within.
My pit in the middle protects me with duty,
‘Peaches and cream’ I’m made into, commonly.
Is there anything better than a ripe, juicy peach on a hot summer day? I think not!
Riddles about Melons
Let’s move onto melons, those big fruits with sweet, watery flesh. Can you solve these melon riddles?
Honeydew
See if you know this green melon, often found in fruit salads:
My thick green skin and sweetness within
Have earned me the name that I go by.
I’m refreshing cut up with fruit on display,
And ‘honeydew melon’ is what people say.
Honeydew has a subtle sweetness that lives up to its name.
Cantaloupe
Next up, this orange melon commonly cut into wedges:
I’m an orange melon with a rough, textured skin
And a smooth, succulent flesh within.
‘Cantaloupe’ I’m called, and I’m sweet as can be,
Sliced up in fruit salad or eaten solo, ideally.
Cantaloupe’s signature webbed rind instantly gives it away.
Watermelon
Last melon riddle – take a guess at this juicy, iconic summer fruit:
On the outside I’m a green striped case,
Inside, bright pink flesh in an oval shape.
At picnics and potlucks I’m served ice cold,
Bite into a slice – my juices won’t hold!
Few things say summer like biting into a crisp, watery slice of watermelon on a hot day.
Riddles about Fruit Vegetables
Some small “fruits” are actually vegetables in disguise! See if you can determine which veggie is being described in each riddle:
Tomatoes
First up, this red salad staple that’s actually a fruit:
Though classified a vegetable, technically I’m a fruit,
With a plump red globe and smooth skin suit.
I’m juicy and sweet when ripe in the sun,
Sliced on sandwiches or eaten one by one.
Though commonly known as a vegetable, tomatoes are botanically classified as fruits.
Peppers
Next, this family of vegetables that also falls in fruit territory:
We’re fruits disguised as vegetables mild to hot,
Our family includes bell, chili, and jalapeno.
Green we start out though many of us ripen red,
In salsas, stir fries, and more we add flavor instead.
Though culinary vegetables, peppers contain seeds and develop from the ovary of flowering plants, making them fruits as well.
Cucumbers
Last “veggie fruit” riddle – think green and watery:
I’m another fruit that’s often called a vegetable,
With a green,cylindrical body that’s long and quite able
To add crunch to your salads and flavor that’s light,
I’m also refreshing alone as a cool, healthy bite.
Botanically cucumbers are classified as fruits, though we treat them as crunchy vegetables in the culinary world.
Riddles about Unusual and Exotic Small Fruits
Let’s finish off this collection of small fruit riddles by testing your knowledge on some more obscure and exotic varieties. These may be new to you!
Longan
See if you know this Southeast Asian fruit related to lychee:
My tan, round peel protects the juicy meat,
Translucent white with a black seed complete.
Eaten fresh or sometimes dried, I’m sweet with a hint
Of musky, intrigued now? It’s longan, you won’t need a hint.
Native to China, longans have a sweet musky flavor similar to their relative, the lychee.
Kiwano
Next, this crazy looking horned melon:
I look quite outrageous, all spiky and yellow,
But slice through my skin for the sweet fruit inside.
Gelatinous, seed-filled, such a fun snack when ripe,
As a ‘kiwano melon’ I’m also worldwide described.
With its wild exterior and jellylike interior, kiwano melons are definitely an exotic specimen.
Miracle Fruit
Last exotic fruit riddle – this one is unique for how it modifies taste:
Don’t judge me by look, as my powers aren’t visible,
I’m a small red berry that will make the impossible happen.
Eat me beforehand and for an hour flavors will twist,
Sour turns to sweet – I’m ‘miracle fruit’, on tastebuds I insist.
The Miracle fruit contains miraculin, a molecule that binds to tastebuds, causing sour foods to taste incredibly sweet.
Conclusion
How did you enjoy testing your small fruits trivia? While they may be petite in size, small fruits offer huge flavors, nutrients, and fun. Their dainty packages often contain the most concentrated doses of natural sweetness.
Hopefully you discovered some new-to-you small fruits in the mix. And maybe learned a fun new fact or two about old favorites like strawberries and blueberries. When it comes to fresh produce, great things really do come in small packages!