Native fruit bearing trees of the Philippines with notes

This is a list of fruit-bearing native trees found in the Philippines with their

scientific name, English name and Filipino name with additional notes. Note that this is based on my field observation over the Philippine islands. This list does not include imported fruits found commercially in Philippine markets such as apples and pears. 

Common Native Fruit-bearing trees of the Philippines 

Syzygium samarangens

English name: Wax apple

Filipino name: Makopa

Fallen ripe makopa, philippines

Note: Makopa is not usually sold in markets in the Philippines. The fruit has low commercial value in the Philippines. 

Syzygium aqueum

English name: Water apple

Filipino name: Tambis

Note: Makopa and Tambis are different species of plant or tree.

Syzygium cumini

English name: Jambul 

Filipino name: Duhat

Duhat leaves 

Note: Duhat is not usually sold in commercial markets in the Philippines. Duhat trees have widespread canopies ideal for bird habitat. 

Syzygium curanii

English name: Philippine berry

Filipino name: Lipote, Baligang, ipot

Note: The Philippines has other species of the genus Syzygium. This list does not include those species not widely cultivated in the region. This also shows the diversity of Philippine Flora. Moreover, majority of these plants are not yet studied like Syzygium Calubcob.

Citrus sp. 
English name: Lime
Filipino name: Limon

Citrus aurantifolia

English name:  Key lime

Filipino name: Dayap

xCitrofortunella mitis

English name: Calamondin

Filipino name: kalamansi 

Possible natural origin: China and Philippines

Note: Kalamansi is a favorite fruit in the Philippines, used in Filipino cuisine. It is used as an alternative to lime or lemon in the Philippines. I had observed that a species of caterpillar depends on the leaves of Kalamansi.  

Citrus sinensis 
English name: Orange,

Filipino name: Orange or Dalandan(Depends on the variety)

Citrus maxima

English name: Pomelo 

Filipino name: Lukban

Lukban Fruit

Note: There are many varieties of Lukban in the Philippines. Some of the pulp range from white, yellow or pink.  

Lansium domesticum 
Filipino name: Lanzones 
Possible natural origin: Western Southeast asia

Nephelium lappaceum
Filipino name: Rambutan

Note: Rambutan are abundant in Laguna, Philippines. 

Averrhoa carambola
English name: Carambola or Starfruit 
Filipino name: Balimbing

Litchi chinensis
English name and Filipino name: Lychee  
Possible natural origin: China, Taiwan and Southeast asia, Philippines(unverified)


Durio species
English name and Filipino name: Durian 
Possible natural origin: Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, Davao, Philippines(Currently debated)


Note: It is only found in Mindanao, Philippines. 

Durian Fruit

Note: Durian is made into candies. 

Dimocarpus longan
English name: Longan  
Possible natural origin: South and Southeast asia, Philippines

Diospyros blancoi
English name: Velvet apple
Filipino name: kamagong 

Note: Although endemic to the Philippines, I seldom see Kamagong trees in Cavite, Philippines. Nowadays, the fruit is not widely available for consumption. 

The kamagong wood produces high quality lumber but takes decades to produce and probably explains why it is now seldom seen in the country. 

Musa sapientum, English name: Banana
Filipino name: Saging  
Possible natural origin: South and Southeast Asia

 Flower of banana plant

Banana Tree, Cavite, Philippines 

Note: This is a ubiquitous tree or plant in the Philippines. Saging is very common in grasslands or fields in the Philippines. The banana leaves are used in the Philippines as food plate during fiestas or occasions. The stem are traditionally applied to ease insect bites. There are also many varieties of banana or saging in the Philippines like lakatan (Exported), Latundan, saba and señorita. 
The saba, banana variety is made into a cold dessert in the Philippines, saging-con yelo. It is a favorite local merienda or snack. 

Photo Courtesy of Bitesize Philippines

Note: Botanically speaking, the banana plant is not a tree but a herb. 

Cocus nucifera, English name: Coconut
Filipino name: Buko  
Possible natural origin: Currently debated

Note: This is a ubiquitous tree or plant in the Philippines. Buko is very common in grasslands or fields in the Philippines. The leaves of buko are also used as wrappers in rice cakes. They can also be made as brooms or walis-tingting. 

Macapuno is a variety of the coconut fruit that is made into a sweet filipino dessert or delicacy.

Averrhoa bilimbi

English name:Bilimbi

Filipino name: Kamias 

Possible natural origin: Moluccas, Indonesia

Note: Kamias is commonly used in cooking in the Tagalog region. 

Garcinia mangostana
English name: Mangosteen
Filipino name: Mangosteen

Arrenga pinnata

English name: Sugar palm

Tagalog name: Kaong 

Note: The fruit is often made into Filipino preserved dessert. It is part of the halo-halo ingredients, a shaved ice Filipino dessert. 

Terminalia microcarpa
English name: Damson plum
Filipino name: Kalumpit


Note: The word Kalumpit is also a name of a place in Bulacan, Philippines.

Wild fruit-bearing trees of the Philippines 

Note for the following Species of trees:
They are not frequently cultivated for their lack of commercial or low economic values to many Filipinos.


Artocarpus odaratissimus
English name: Joey Oak
Filipino name: Marang 
Possible natural origin:Borneo and Palawan, Philippines

Artocarpus integer
Common name: Chempedak 
Possible natural origin: Southeast asia, Philippines(unverified)

Artocarpus altilis
English name: Bread fruit
Filipino name: Balimbing*

Artocarpus Blancoi 
English name: Bread fruit
Filipino name: Antipolo
Endemic to the Philippines

Note: The word antipolo is also a place in the Philippines. 

Metroxylun Sagu

English name: True sago palm

Native: Southeast Asia 

Note: Sago or pearl is traditionally eaten as a dessert in the Philippines. Palamig is a sweet drink with sago and gulaman.

Ficus Nota 

English name: Sacking Tree

Filipino name: Tibig

Endemic to the Philippines

Note:

This ficus tree is frequently eaten by fruit bats in the Philippines.  

Castanopsis philippinensis  
English name: Philippine Chestnut
Additional Information

Calamus sp.
English name: Rattan Fruit
Filipino name: Lituko

Antidesma bunius
English name: Salamander Tree
Filipino name: Bignay

Naturalized fruit-bearing trees of the Philippines 

In contrast, the link below is a list of Introduced or naturalized fruit-bearing trees of the Philippines with their possible native country. Most Filipinos are unaware that many trees in their backyards are not really native Philippine trees. Most of these trees or fruits came to the Philippines during the Spanish era where trade from different countries occurred especially from South America, explaining for the high number of Philippine naturalized fruit-bearing trees coming from that region. 

Naturalized fruit bearing trees of the Philippines

Plant-derived Fruits 
Present in the Philippines

      On the other hand, the link below is a list of edible fruits from plants that can be found in the Philippines, both native and non-native. I did not separate the naturalized and native fruit bearing plants in the Philippines.

Plant-derived fruits of the Philippines

Others: Less common Philippine Fruits

Rare Philippine Fruits

Unique Philippine Fruits

Conclusion on the Philippine Trees 

The Philippines is blessed with fertile soil, given that an abundant number of trees grows in this place. Unfortunately, these trees that we see today are not what they used to be. Sadly, even in some forest areas, introduced species of trees dominate.

Based on my observation, the figs are the trees we should give more importance ecologically in the Philippines for fauna support.