Fruits of Togo: The Complete List

Togo’s markets, roadside stalls and small farms offer a compact but varied glimpse of West African fruit culture, where wild harvests meet cultivated orchards. Local vendors move seasonally through coastal towns and inland regions, so the selection changes with the landscape and the weather.

There are 30 Fruits of Togo, ranging from Ackee to Watermelon. For each fruit you’ll find Scientific name, Where found (regions), and Season (months) in the table you’ll find below.

Which fruits on the list are native versus introduced?

The list flags regions so you can spot natives and long-naturalized species quickly; many forest fruits (for example, African bush mango and shea-related species) are native to West Africa, while staples like mango, banana and papaya were introduced centuries ago and are now widespread.

How should I use the season and region columns when buying or tasting these fruits?

Use the Season (months) column to plan visits or purchases—local markets peak when a fruit is in season—and consult Where found (regions) to know whether a fruit is likely local or brought from another part of the country; this helps you find the freshest, most authentic varieties.

Fruits of Togo

Images and Descriptions

Mango

Juicy, sweet to tart stone fruit grown across Togo’s south and central regions. Eaten fresh, dried, or in chutneys, juices and sauces; many local varieties ripen mainly Mar–Jul and are key to markets and household diets.

Cashew apple

The swollen fruit attached to cashew nut; bright, tart-sweet pulp used fresh, fermented into beverages, or made into jams. Grown widely in southern and central regions; main season Feb–May when cashew harvest supplies rural incomes and processing.

Banana

Small sweet dessert bananas and plantain types are grown year-round in gardens and plantations across Maritime and Plateaux regions. Eaten fresh, fried, boiled or mashed; essential in breakfasts, snacks and stews, available essentially year-round.

Plantain

Starchy cooking banana common in households and markets across Togo; boiled, fried (dodo) or mashed as staple side dish. Grown year-round in gardens and plantations, central to breakfasts and savory meals.

Pineapple

Tropical, sweet-and-acid fruit commonly cultivated in coastal and southern Togo. Eaten fresh, canned, juiced or sold in markets; fruiting peaks Mar–Jul but smallholder production can supply markets much of the year.

Papaya

Soft, melon-like fruit grown in backyard gardens and farms across Togo. Eaten fresh, in salads, smoothies or cooked green; sweet orange flesh and year-round availability make papaya a common household fruit and market seller.

Coconut

Hard-shelled palm fruit grown along Togo’s coast; used for water, milk, oil and flesh. Coconuts are harvested year-round, featuring in cooking, refreshments, crafts, and coastal livelihoods with versatile culinary and commercial uses.

Orange

Sweet citrus commonly grown in gardens and small orchards, especially in central plateau and southern areas. Eaten fresh or juiced; season often Dec–Mar with local varieties supplying markets and household vitamin C needs.

Lemon/Lime

Acidic citrus used for seasoning, drinks and cleaning, found in gardens and town markets. Many smallholder trees produce fruits in multiple flushes; peak availability often Dec–Mar but some trees fruit year-round.

Tangerine

Sweet, loose-skinned citrus enjoyed fresh; grown in backyard plots and small orchards in southern and central Togo. Season overlaps oranges, typically Dec–Mar, prized for juice and snacks and for small-scale sales at weekly markets.

Guava

Fragrant, gritty-shelled fruit grown widely in gardens and farms; varieties range from tart to sweet. Eaten fresh or made into preserves and juices; often available year-round with peaks in rainy season.

Avocado

Creamy, nutrient-dense fruit grown in higher Plateaux and central areas as well as home gardens. Used in salads, sauces, and snacks; many local varieties ripen in different months, with main seasons Apr–Sep.

Passionfruit

Aromatic purple/yellow shell with tart-sweet pulp, grown in gardens and on trellises in southern and central regions. Eaten raw or juiced, used in desserts and drinks; main harvest often Jun–Oct.

Soursop

Large, custardy white flesh with sweet-tart flavor, grown in gardens and agroforestry systems. Eaten fresh, blended into drinks or desserts; used also in traditional remedies and local markets, prized for distinctive tropical aroma.

Sugar apple (sweetsop)

Sweet segmented fruit with creamy custard texture, loved fresh by children and adults. Cultivated in home gardens and roadsides; season varies but often Jun–Sep, used in desserts and local markets.

African bush mango (dika)

Forest fruit with fibrous yellow pulp and oily kernels; wild-harvested in Plateaux, Centrale and forest galleries. Pulp eaten raw or processed, kernels used for thickening soups; season typically Aug–Nov and of commercial interest to local traders.

African star apple

Sweet, tangy pulp enclosed in thin shell; grows in wild and farmed trees across southern and central woodlands. Eaten fresh or made into preserves; season often Sep–Nov when markets fill with glossy fruits.

Baobab fruit

Hard-shelled pods with dry, tangy pulp used for drinks, porridge, and flavoring. Collected from savanna baobabs in northern regions, fruiting in dry season Dec–Feb, valued for vitamin C and traditional uses.

Tamarind

Brown sticky pulp in pods, sour-sweet and widely used for sauces, beverages and snacks. Trees occur across regions in town and village landscapes; pods commonly ripen Dec–Apr and are sold in markets year-round in dried form.

Oil palm fruit

Bright orange-red bunches whose oily mesocarp yields palm oil and kernels. Grown in coastal and southern plantations and smallholdings; harvested year-round with peak seasons, central to cooking, commerce and soap-making.

Jackfruit

Very large, starchy fruit with sweet bulbs inside; grown in gardens and small farms in southern areas. Eaten ripe as dessert or cooked unripe as vegetable; main season Jun–Sep though local timing varies.

Ackee

West African tree fruit with creamy arils around toxic seeds; in Togo cultivated or found in gardens. When properly prepared and ripe, arils are boiled and eaten like vegetables; season often Aug–Nov.

African locust bean (néré)

Long pods with sweet pulp and seeds used after fermentation (soumbala). Trees grow in savanna and wooded areas, fruiting in late dry season Feb–Apr; pulp eaten fresh by children and used for animal feed.

African pear (safou)

Oblong, oily fruit with buttery texture, prized roasted or boiled; common in cooler Plateaux and forest margins. Season often Aug–Oct, important for household nutrition, small-scale trade and used in sauces.

Watermelon

Large, refreshing melons grown in fields and home plots, popular for fresh eating and street sales. Peak season Feb–Jun during warm months; varieties include sweet red-fleshed and small local types.

Egusi melon

Melon whose seeds (egusi) are prized for soups and sauces; fruit flesh is often discarded. Grown across Togo in fields and gardens; fruiting Jul–Sep, seeds are major culinary ingredient and traded locally.

Jujube

Small oval fruit with sweet-sour flesh, drought-tolerant and common in northern Savanes and Kara regions. Eaten fresh or dried as snack; season often Feb–May after dry season rains, sold in village markets.

Kola nut

Caffeinated nut-like fruit used as stimulant and cultural offering; kola trees are planted in southern and central regions. Fresh nuts chewed or used in ceremonies, with main harvest around Nov–Mar.

Black plum (jambolan)

Dense, astringent-sweet berries grown in gardens and along roads; eaten fresh, made into jams or fermented drinks. Trees found in southern and central areas; fruiting often Jun–Sep, valued for traditional medicines.

Carambola (starfruit)

Tangy, crisp star-shaped fruit grown in home gardens and sold in markets. Likely introduced but widely cultivated in southern towns; eaten fresh or in salads, season depends on planting but often year-round.

Fruits in Other Countries