Electronic
Field Trip to an Orchard 
What's a fruit?
When we think of fruit we usually think of
But,
this is a fruit 
And
this is a fruit 
And
this is a fruit 
It's all fruit!
So what is the definition of a fruit?
A fruit is a mature ovary from a plant. It can be a fertilized ovary
or it can be an unfertilized ovary 
.
Most fruit comes from a fertilized
ovary so the fruit contains seeds and is capable of reproducing
the plant.
Some fruit does not come from
a fertilized ovary. The process of a fruit developing without
fertilization is called parthenocarpy. Parthenocarpic
fruits do not have any seeds. So any seedless fruit, like
banana, seedless grapes, seedless watermelons, and seedless
oranges, are parthenocarpic, or from unfertilized ovaries!
But peas, cucumbers, and squash are vegetables, not fruit!
It's confusing! We call many foods we eat vegetables, but they're actually fruit. Remember the definition of a fruit...a mature ovary from a plant. So, anytime you eat something from a plant that contains seeds, you're eating a mature ovary and that's a fruit!
