Common Foods: A Look at How They Grow Before Harvest
Dragon Fruit
A bright dragon fruit is another plant that may make you question your existence. These plants have cacti-like roots and thorns because they’re related. On the other hand, the flowers on the plant make it stand out. From the stalks hang ovals that are a deep red or purple color. These fruits look different because their skins appear to have small spikes on them, but they have very soft peels. Removing the peel can reveal a dark purple or white fruit. Both kinds have a lot of small seeds.
People in Asia love dragon fruit because it tastes great, has a lot of fiber, and lasts a long time. It comes from a strange-looking flower that only blooms for one night.
Cinnamon
We hate the thought of not having cinnamon in our lives. So many foods and drinks use this wonderful spice. Eggnog and banana bread aren’t the same without spice! The spice we all have in our kitchens may not be found in nature. This spice is not what we commonly perceive it to be. The tree’s bark is where cinnamon comes from. Before the transformation begins, the tree removes thick slices of bark.
Cinnamon is another superfood that is full of health benefits, such as lowering blood sugar, protecting the heart, and making digestion better. For a tasty treat, add it to your drinks, cookies, or oatmeal in the morning.
Artichokes
At a farm, you might have missed an artichoke, but it was there. Why is that? The vegetable is adorned with a unique purple flower, which serves as a natural headpiece. It’s interesting to note that the bright purple artichoke flower can also be eaten, and it’s often used to decorate food. These plants are strong and need a lot of room. Because these plants like hot and humid weather, the best places to put them are close to the equator.
People adore artichokes due to their health benefits, which include lowering cholesterol and controlling blood pressure.
Pistachios
If you like these tasty treats, you might be surprised to learn that most people classify them wrong. Pistachios are food, not nuts, despite what most people think. This is because the nuts grow inside the fruit itself. The pistachio seed is great, but we don’t use it. Have you ever wondered if these tasty little snacks might have something to do with peaches and cherries? They are all drupes, their family name. The pistachio tree’s brightly colored fruit makes it look like it’s time for a party.
Shutterstock/pinkfloyd yilmaz uslu
Get ready to wait 20 years if the picture makes you want to grow peanuts. The high cost of pistachios is due to the fact that they grow slowly.
Quinoa
People who are serious about their health usually know a lot about this whole grain because it has so many health benefits. The tiny seeds are simple to pick off of a shelf, but it might be harder to find them in the wild. These quinoa seeds grow on strange bushes and cover the plantsstems in thick rings. There isn’t a single flower on the bush, but it looks like a strange-shaped flower.
They need to give the bush a favorable shake when it’s time to pick, and the seeds will fall off the tree. Then, they rinse the seeds to give them a fresh taste.
Dates
There are lots of wonderful fruits that can grow on palm trees, not just coconuts. These huge trees also grow large groups of dates. As dates grow, they are difficult to see because they are so high up in the tree. These trees can get over 70 feet tall, which makes it difficult to see fruit from that far away. The color of the young date is another thing to think about. Because they are green, they look more like grapes than dates.
Many people love dates because they are naturally sweet. You can use them to sweeten sweets, in addition to their health benefits.
Saffron
Saffron, the world’s most expensive spice, not only smells and tastes great, but it is also very good for you in many ways. Studies have linked saffron to its ability to combat cancer and sadness. But why does saffron cost so much? That’s because the spice comes from a lovely purple flower, but it’s only in the stigma of this tiny flower. There aren’t many of these spices.
Saffron can grow in as little as ten weeks, but each flower only gives a small amount of the spice. This makes it a valuable and expensive spice.
Starfruit
This delicious fruit has become very popular in recent years, and you can now find it in supermarkets all over the world. One thing that makes it so famous is its unique shape. When cut, the fruit resembles a star, hence the name. These fruits grow on enormous trees, and most people love how simple they are to take care of. Starfruit doesn’t really look like fruit when it’s still on the tree. It’s more like a big seed pod or a strange flower.
Even though these fruits are tasty, sweet, and juicy, health experts say you shouldn’t eat too many of them. If you eat and drink too much, it can hurt your kidneys.
Leeks
A lot of people don’t like the way leeks taste or feel, but they are an important crop in Ireland and many Asian countries. They’re often in soups, stews, and pies. In the grocery store, these stalky veggies are simple to spot, but when you see them outside, they look like they belong in a fantasy film. That’s because they have bright groups of tiny flowers. This cool veggie needs at least 170 days to grow.
If you put leeks in a place with mild weather, they will grow all year. That’s excellent news for people who like the humble leek. Plus, they have a lot of fiber, so eat a lot of them!
Zucchinis
Recently, zucchini has become very popular because it is simple to cut and tastes light. They can be cooked in stir-fries, used instead of spaghetti, or even baked! That being said, they are definitely useful in our homes, but they may deceive us when they are still on the vine. This is due to the fact that zucchini plants are short, and their shape makes them look more like pickles than zucchini. On one end, there is a beautiful, bright yellow flower.
Many people are unaware of the flower’s edible qualities. Asians often incorporate this vegetable into soups due to its attractive appearance and fresh flavor.
Lentils
People who are vegetarian, vegan, or into bodybuilding love these excellent beans because they are high in protein and fiber. Dried beans keep for years, making them a great pantry staple for wet days. These can be canned in the same manner as beans and asparagus. It’s easy to find beans in the store, but it’s not so simple when you’re outside. This is because when they grow, lentils look more like mossy grass than beans.
Lentil plants can grow up to 50 cm tall, but they stay very low to the ground. They may also feel very hairy. Because they like lots of room, you should plant them far apart.
Cacao
Chocolate’s taste and versatility make it one of the world’s most popular treats. Some types of chocolate are also beneficial for you. When we go to our favorite grocery store, we can easily find the chocolate aisle, but we might have a difficult time finding the cocoa seed on a tree. This is because cacao has to go through a lot of steps before becoming the tasty treat we know it to be. Before that, the seeds have a strange and unappetizing appearance.
In hot and wet places, huge cacao seeds grow on very tall trees. They have a hard shell around them to protect themselves. Once they fall to the ground, we can remove the seeds and transform them into our favorite candies.
Cashews
One of the most well-known nuts in the world is cashews due to their delicious flavor, crunchy texture, and versatility in culinary applications. They are used in soup, salads, sweets, and curries. Even though their form makes them simple to spot, they are not so easy to find in the wild. This is because they grow on a strange tree and get along strangely with a cashew apple. The young cashew sits below the bright yellow cashew apple. The apple will fall to the ground when it’s ready.
Once you remove the apple, the cashew will be ready. Cashew apples are another option, but few people like them.
Vanilla Bean
When asked what their favorite smell is, most people say vanilla right away. People enjoy using vanilla beans in their food and drinks. Some people even enjoy adding it to their tea or coffee to improve its taste. The smell is easy to recognize, but finding vanilla nuts in the wild is harder. Each vanilla bean pod grows into a beautiful white flower. You can see the vanilla bean pod better when the skins fall off.
When the vanilla is ready to pick, you open the pods. You can use a knife to dig out the thousands of tiny vanilla beans that are inside each pod.
Coffee Beans
There are big, bright groups of coffee beans that might look like they belong in a Roald Dahl book. In fact, they don’t look at all like the coffee beans we love while they’re growing. Instead, they have shades of yellow, pink, or red that make them look like cherries. They taste awful while they are growing. They already have a lot of caffeine in them, but they need to age a while before they’re enjoyable.
After they have been picked, they are cooked. Roasting gives the coffee bean its beloved taste and smell.
Kidney Beans
People think of these beans as superfoods because they are full of minerals, vitamins, fiber, and protein. They can be used in many ways and can be canned. A kidney bean is simple for most people to spot. Once they start to grow, though, things are different. The pod that these beans are in looks more like a pea pod than a kidney bean pod. The red kidney beans we all know and love come out when the pod splits open.
Kidney beans take between 100 and 140 days to mature. They won’t be ready until the pod opens, so it’s best to leave them alone until then.
Capers
If you eat capsers, you either love them or hate them because they taste so strong. These little flavorings are beneficial because they make a small amount of food go a long way. Their appearance resembles the caper flower, so caper fans may not notice them while they grow. Instead, each flower contains a multitude of capers, ready for picking and chilling. The capers are on the ends of pink stalks inside the lovely flowers.
Wikimedia Commons/Wouter Hagens
You must take care of the capers before you can eat them. To pickle them, you use vinegar and salt. Because they taste bad, you shouldn’t eat them before they’ve been handled.
Wasabi
The paste in wasabi can be unbelievably strong, as anyone who has eaten it without knowing what it was knows. People who like wasabi with their sushi can find it at their favorite sushi place, but it will be harder to find in a garden. That’s because wasabi starts out as small leaves that are then ground up into a paste. Wasabi is surprisingly challenging to grow, which means that many of the types we buy in stores may not really come from wasabi plants.
Wasabi is good for your health in many ways, such as keeping your gut and heart healthy, killing germs and inflammation, and helping with allergies.
Black Pepper
Is this a different kind of caterpillar? It’s actually a string of pepper seeds. Contrary to what most people think, this plant is not a spice, which makes it very interesting. It’s actually a fruit. Because it grows on short stems covered with clumps of green kernels that will change color when they dry, it can be difficult to spot. When it’s young, black pepper looks more like little grapes than pepper.
After removing the pepper kernel-covered stems, we will split them up and dry them. As they get darker and harder, they get a little smaller.
Akebia Quinata
Not many people have seen this fruit, and many people in the West may not have observed it yet. But you shouldn’t miss it. Grown in Japan, the fruit derives its name from the delightful chocolate scent it emits. It’s delightful to eat the fruit because it’s soft and sweet. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, the fruit is difficult to find because it grows in purple pods that protect it. The purple pod doesn’t split open until the fruit is ready.
This interesting fruit has become very popular in Asia because it helps with inflammation. It also works really well to treat arthritis.
Chickpeas
People who are vegetarian or vegan can’t get enough of beans because they are so full of minerals, vitamins, and protein. They are also popular because they can be used to make dips and hummus. You can also roast them to create a crunchy, healthy meal. When they dry, they can last for years, which is something that people like. But what do they look like before you eat them? They’re hard to find because they hide in a small pod.
When it’s time to pick, the pod begins to open, releasing a small, light-green bean. As the bean grows, its color changes to a familiar light brown.
Cloves
This spice is well known among people who like to make stews and soups. Cloves are a great example of dynamite that comes in small packages, as their taste remains strong despite their small size. When cloves are still growing, they look very pretty. That’s because they’re the buds of bright red flowers. After these flowers dry out and fall off, you can pick and use the cloves for many different purposes.
You can use or store the flowers. They taste a lot less strong than cloves. But before eating the flower, you should wait until it turns red.
Poppy
If you have ever been into a flower field, you might have thought you were in a strange, wonderful place. The plant looks very strange before the seeds are picked. The seeds grow on very thin stems with very small thorns. It has a strange little flower on top of the seed, which makes it look even more intriguing. If you take care of your poppy plants, you can get new seeds every eight to ten weeks.
While most people may believe that poppy seeds work best in bread, they are actually very beneficial to your health. Poppy seeds are the source of many potent painkillers.
Asparagus
As much as we love these crunchy green stands, you’ve probably wondered how they grow. It’s fascinating that asparagus grows in long stalks that look like big pieces of grass that stick out of the ground. When it’s time to gather, these big stalks are cut right off the ground. People who love asparagus might want to plant this wonderful veggie. It grows quickly and well, but the process can take up to three years.
Asparagus is a beneficial way to get calcium and vitamins. The ability to store it in cans for years adds to its appeal.
Peanuts
Peanuts are not nuts, despite what most people think. Instead, they are beans, which can make them hard to find while they are growing. It’s interesting to note that these beans, much like yams and potatoes, grow rapidly. Under the ground, they grow. When you remove them, you’ll find them at the bottom of the stem, above the roots. It takes about 120 days for most peanuts to grow. Planters will know it’s time to gather when they see pretty little yellow flowers poking out of the ground.
Although the leaves that grow above the peanut are not edible, Asians use them to treat wounds because they kill germs and reduce swelling.
Okra
Okra adds a unique flavor to soups, casseroles, and pies, which people who enjoy making their food more interesting adore. Not everyone likes these green veggies, but those who do love them. Because okra is the stem of the flower, not the fruit, it is difficult to find. It grows on a small tree. Wait until the flower falls off to reveal the ripe, ready-to-pick okra.
Many people enjoy the fresh and light taste of this pretty flower. The Caribbean, Africa, and other places use it a lot in soups and other foods.
Almonds
Coffee shops now have many kinds of milk for customers to choose from. Almond milk is a popular choice among consumers. Almonds are an excellent snack because they taste great and are full of good things for you. An almond is not a nut, despite what most people think. It is actually a drupe plant. The connection between roses and almonds may account for the light and flowery taste of almonds. The hidden nature of these drupes makes them difficult to find.
Above the pod that holds the nut grows a pretty white flower. When the almond is ready, the flower dries out and falls off. Then the pod opens up, letting the almond fall out.
Broccoli
The unique feature of this bulbous plant is that it requires manual harvesting. This is because broccoli stems are thick. Because these plants can’t be picked by machines without hurting them, you should know that the broccoli you buy was picked by hand. The term for these vegetables comes from the Italian word broccolo, which means “flowery cabbage head.” This name fits pretty well!
When broccoli is still growing, the large leaves that cover the bulb can make it difficult to identify its type. You can eat these leaves too, though they might be tough.
Bananas
The way they look might not be the only thing that surprises you. Many people may be surprised to learn that bananas are not considered food. Because of their growth habits, bananas are actually classified as weeds. In fact, people often associate bananas with ginger! The number of bananas on a wild banana bush must have amazed finders. These tasty treats grow big bunches that can hold up to one hundred bananas!
The color of bananas is another thing that might throw you off. It’s fascinating that bananas aren’t always yellow or green. There are some blue bananas!
Kiwis
People who enjoy Kiwis’ sweet and sour meat might be surprised to learn that this tasty treat isn’t a fruit. The correct word for it is berry. No matter what, these tasty berries are tiny oval powerhouses that are beneficial for your heart and gut. When they are still growing, kiwis can be difficult to find because they form inside a flower. As the kiwi tree grows, it produces pretty white flowers, which later show off the first juicy kiwis.
Some people say that kiwi trees are pretty easy to take care of, as long as they aren’t placed in cold places. Kiwi trees can wait up to five years to bear their first fruit.
Blueberries
You might think of these berries more like groups of tiny cotton balls than blueberries because they don’t get their famous color until after they start to grow. In fact, they transform into their deep blue or deep purple hue just moments before harvesting. Gardeners must closely monitor them due to their limited lifespan, as they are only suitable for harvesting for a brief period. We call this blueberry beauty!
Farmers say that the first three crops from a new blueberry tree aren’t very good, even though the trees grow quickly. Therefore, farmers can harvest the tree after its sixth year.
Nutmeg
Nutmeg is another spice that reminds us of the holidays. Because it tastes so good, this versatile spice adds more flavor to our drinks, desserts, and food. Dried and ground into a powder, the spice can last for years. Nutmeg is simple to find at your favorite coffee shop, but it takes some detective work to find it on a farm. Nutmeg grows inside a small fruit, which splits open when ready for harvesting.
We only use the seeds, not the fruit. We then transform the seeds into the renowned and cherished spice.
Pineapples
It’s not true that pineapples are veggies, as many people think. Pineapples are what you call food. Their stems are big and spikey, and they grow close to the ground. Because it is dark green and small, you may not be able to tell a young pineapple apart. Over time, they regain their normal form and lighter color. It’s interesting that you can also eat the pineapple bush’s spikes, but they’re not as sweet and refreshing as the fruit.
Pineapples are like magic fruits because they are good for our immune systems and help reduce swelling. People often advise eating pineapple to speed up the healing process after surgery.
Arugula
More people than ever care about their health and diet. People are ordering salads more often than ever. Salads often feature this wonderful green vegetable, rich in minerals and vitamins. Arugula is simple to tell apart from other green plants in a salad. You might walk right past it outside, though, because it doesn’t look like much.
As it grows, arugula doesn’t look like much. It looks more like a weed than a useful plant. As a bush, it grows close to the ground.
Persimmon
Asian people love these orange fruits because they can be dried and kept for years. People occasionally incorporate them into drinks and frequently utilize them to create jams and syrups. The fruits taste different, but what’s even more intriguing is how they look on the tree. If anything, a persimmon tree is pretty ugly because it looks like it has spikes because it doesn’t have many leaves. The tree’s persimmon yield makes up for its ugly appearance.
These well-known fruits change size and shape a lot as they grow. They might look more like little oranges than persimmons when they are young.
Cranberries
Cranberries are tasty, and growing them may surprise you. Just like rice, a cranberry farm requires flooding to initiate growth. Before they make the little berries we love, these bushes need to rest for a while. As they start to form, they look like tiny, clear balls that grow in groups around the twigs. They start to change color and get bigger over time.
Wikimedia Commons/Arnstein Rønning
A lot of cranberries are too sour to be enjoyable, which is a shame. In fact, we can only eat 5% of the cranberries that grow in the world. The rest are made into jams, syrups, or juice.
Pomegranate
These intriguing fruits have historically been associated with royalty. Even now, they still have an allure that can’t be avoided. The seeds inside these bright red fruits are sweet and juicy. They can be eaten on their own or added to salads, soups, or desserts. Pomegranates don’t have their bright red color yet when they are young, so they look more like an apple with a funny shape than a strawberry.
The fruit changes color over time, and when they are fully ripe, they look like little lamps hanging from a tree.
Mango
People all over the world love mangoes because they are sweet, juicy, and tasty. They are simple to spot in a store because of their color and shape, but not so easy to find in the wild. That’s because they don’t get their signature color and shape until they’re almost ready to pick. When it is young, monkey fruit is larger and darker green or purple. Also, they are very strong.
When they are ready to be picked, some types of mangoes are still very small, green, and hard. Cut them into thin pieces and place in salads or pickles.
Camellia
People who drink tea will know that camellia tea tastes like flowers. The flower has gained popularity due to its health benefits and ability to promote calmness. Many people mistake camellia flowers for hibiscus flowers, another popular tea ingredient. However, the color of camellia flowers is lighter, and the tea they produce has a significantly stronger flavor. The camellia plant grows very quickly and doesn’t need much care.
Shutterstock/Tharnapoom Voranavin
Camellias can be difficult to identify in the wild due to their small white flowers adorned with numerous yellow spines. If you are unaware of their significance, you may mistake them for mere ornamental flowers.
Walnut
Walnuts are considered the king of nuts by many due to their deliciousness and versatility. They are tasty on their own or added to cakes, salads, or stews. Because can grab a walnut as a snack on the go because they are full of Omega 3s and vitamins. People who like nuts can easily find this nut in the nut aisle, but they might need help when they need to find it on a farm. This is due to the fact that walnuts have a special hard shell that protects them. It’s safe to say that the nut grows inside two hard shells.
When the nut is ready, the green shell on the outside will split open, revealing the walnut inside. You can now take off the nut and enjoy.
