The Dominican Republic is a country of fertile land, in which it isn’t abnormal to see a tropical fruit tree in a garden or patio. This Caribbean Island has a large variety of regional fruits, with great properties and benefits, but sadly, some of these fruits are unknown to the Dominicans themselves and have found themselves to be in danger of extinction.
Currently, in this era of ecological cultivation, many foreigners, as well as locals, are deciding to invest in buying a house with a plot of land or a farm on the northern coast. Thus, Century 21 Perdomo has several real estate properties listed for sale, with plenty of space to create your own tropical garden or orchard. Similarly, we have farms or plots for sale in residential areas.
To continue, we will provide you with a brief introduction to the tropical fruits that you are able to grow in the Dominican Republic for either personal consumption or commercial trade.
Fruits that Are Grown in The Dominican Republic and On the North Coast
On the Dominican lands, there is a variety of regional and tropical fruits, the majority of which are seen to be exotic to foreigners and even to many Dominicans. But, for the moment, let’s talk about the fruits that can be grown in your garden or patio.
- To begin with, we have the chinola, which is known in other countries as passion fruit or maracuyá in other Spanish-speaking countries, among many other names. The passion fruit plant is a climber, as it’s not strange to see it on the roofs of houses, or forming a kind of natural pergola, which facilitates the collection of the fruits. The passion fruit makes a really refreshing juice. Additionally, most people eat the fruit directly out of the shell, adding a touch of sugar, to avoid the acidic nature of the fruit. Many bars on the north coast serve this fruit in their cocktails, such as a passion fruit mojito.
- Now we will move on to talk about the soursop. You may or may not be aware of the Dominican expression, “caer redondo como una guanábana”, which literally translations “to fall round like a soursop”. The Dominicans use this phrase to describe a bad fall or a blow to the floor, and it is related to the shape that the fruit takes when it falls, since the weight of the fruit’s flesh is so heavy, it gets squashed and forms a round shape.
- But, speaking of fruits, it cannot be forgotten to mention those that grow in the mountains and valleys, like strawberries, grapes, apples, dragon fruit or pitahaya, star fruit, guava, among many others.
- We will also refer to all those that can be found on the beach. Among the edible fruits that grow among the beach, we have the coconut, which can grow equally easy in a garden.
- Similarly, we have the beach grape tree, whose grapes are edible and have a taste that is both a little sweet and a little sour. On the beaches of Sosua and Puerto Plata it is very common to find this kind of tree and Century 21 Perdomo has plots and apartments for sale in front of the beach, whereby there is every possibility that you will come across one of these trees on the beach or any residential area.
The Avocado, a Fruit Known Throughout the World and Highly Appreciated by Dominicans
Now we will talk about one of the most important fruits to the Dominicans, which most foreigners also adore, either to eat by itself or as an ingredient in many of their dishes, the avocado. Every day, hundreds of people integrate this fruit into their diet, because of its properties and benefits that it brings to the body. The increase of vegetarian and vegan dishes has made the avocado become an ideal ingredient, since with this fruit you can come up with creative and balanced recipes, and what’s more, you can accompany it with a variety of grains and vegetables.
We could say that this fruit is consumed daily in this country, as an accompaniment to Dominican meals, because it is considered an essential part of the Dominican diet. Therefore, buying a house or a plot on the north coast of the Dominican Republic, can make your dreams come true of planting an avocado tree on your patio and enjoying the shade underneath it.
Roads Where You Can Make a Stop and Buy Diverse Varieties of Fruits
In the Dominican Republic, it’s very typical to find fruits on the roads. If you decide to travel to Samaná to get to know the city or to visit the properties that are for sale in Las Terrenas, take the tram and make a stop on the road on where the toasted almond stall can be found. These stalls are no more than colorful little houses, in which you shouldn’t miss out on a taking a picturesque photo.
If, on the contrary, you opt for taking the Jamao road, on this street you will find various stalls, with a diverse range of tropical fruits and vegetables. There is also the option of taking the tourist road, La Cumbre, in which there is always organic fruit and vegetables. Additionally, it’s known for being the Dominican Amber Route. But we shouldn’t disregard Panorámica street, this road joins Puerto Plata with the second most important city in the country, Santiago. Here you can buy fruits and plants, as well as local crafts.
How Can We Eat Dominican Fruit? Fresh? or In Smoothies, Jams, or Sweets?
When picking a fruit, from the moment that you smell its fragrance, you already know what you want to use it for. This is a trick that always works from the moment you choose some fruit: you consider its smell, texture, and color. These details give an indication of the state of ripeness of the fruit.
In the Dominican Republic, it is clear which fruits are ideal for eating or for making smoothies. However, at this moment in time, we are not talking about the fruits that are served to eat fresh, but we are going to highlight those that are highly recommended to put in smoothies, which are zapote, passion fruit, soursop, and papaya among many others. It’s also worth mentioning that in this Caribbean country, the so called “morir soñado”, literally translating to ‘dying in a dream’ is made, which is simply orange, or passion fruit juice mixed with milk and lots of ice. Usually, cow’s milk or evaporated milk is used.
In each region of the Dominican Republic, there are weather factors that allow the growth of fruit and vegetables. But the climate isn’t only favorable for cultivation, but also for practicing water sports in cities like Puerto Plata, Sosua and Cabarete. Therefore, the northern area is the perfect place to construct your dream house close to the beach, with a tropical garden included in which you can take up water sports like surfing and windsurfing.
Contact Century 21 Perdomo for more information on their houses, apartments, and plots for sale, as well as the requirements for investing in real estate in the Dominican Republic.
