Fruits and Vegetables with POI’s by Brandi Davis

1. Fruits and Vegetableswith POI’sby Brandi Davis

2. Potato 1) Today potatoes are grown in all 50 states of the USA and in about 125 countries throughout the world. 2) The sweet potato belongs in the same family as morning glories while the white potato belongs to the same group as tomatoes, tobacco, chile pepper, eggplant and the petunia. 3) The potato is about 80% water and 20% solids. 4) An 8 ounce baked or boiled potato has only about 100 calories. 5) The average American eats about 124 pounds of potatoes per year while Germans eat about twice as much. 8) Thomas Jefferson gets the credit for introducing "french fries" to America when he served them at a White House dinner. • According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest potato grown was 7 pounds 1 ounce. • Potatoes are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Polemoniales, family Solanaceae.

4. Onion • The onion is part of the lily family. • Member of Alliaceae which includes Garlic, Leek, Chives, Scallions, Shallots. • Have been important part of history, has been cultivated for at least 7,000 yrs. • Egyptians believed onions had strength-producing powers, therefore, they were fed to labors who built the pyramids. • The Romans ate onions to gain strength and courage. • The name onion stems from the Latin word unus meaning oneness or unity. • Alexander the Great ordered his troops to eat onions to improve their vitality. • Onion is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Liliopsida, order Liliales, family Liliaceae.

6. Cucumber • The inner temperature of a cucumber can be up to 20 degrees cooler than the outside air! • Cucumbers were believed to have originated in India and spread through Greece and Italy. • They made their way into North America agriculture by the mid-16 century. • "Cukes" belong to the same family as pumpkins, zucchini, watermelon and other squashes. • Cucumbers are fruits because they contain the seeds to reproduce • Cucumbers are 95% water • Cucumber is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Violales, family Curcurbitaceae.

8. Apple • The apple variety ‘Delicious' is the most widely grown in the United States. • The apple tree originated in an area between the Caspian and the Black Sea. • Apples were the favorite fruit of ancient Greeks and Romans. • Apples are a member of the rose family. • Apples harvested from an average tree can fill 20 boxes that weigh 42 pounds each. • 25 percent of an apple's volume is air. That is why they float. • Apples have five seed pockets or carpels. Each pocket contains seeds. The number of seeds per carpel is determined by the vigor and health of the plant. Different varieties of apples will have different number of seeds. • World's top apple producers are China, United States, Turkey, Poland and Italy. • Apples are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Rosales, family Rosaceae.

10. Apricot • In Latin, apricot means "precious," a label earned because it ripens earlier than other summer fruits. • A relative of the peach, the apricot is smaller and has a smooth, oval pit that falls out easily when the fruit is halved. • Apricots originally came from China. • This golden fruit has been around for more than 4,000 years. • The first recorded major production of apricots in America was in 1792 south of San Francisco. • California is the leading producer in the United States. It is also a significant crop in British Columbia (Canada), Australia, Italy, the south of France, Turkey, and Israel. • Apricots are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Rosales, family Rosaceae.

12. Asparagus • Asparagus is a member of the Lily family. • Asparagus spears grow from a crown that is planted about a foot deep in sandy soils. • Under ideal conditions, an asparagus spear can grow 10" in a 24-hour period. • An asparagus planting is usually not harvested for the first 3 years after the crowns are planted allowing the crown to develop a strong fibrous root system. • A well cared for asparagus planting will generally produce for about 15 years without being replanted. • Asparagus is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Liliopsida, order Liliales, family Liliaceae.

14. Avocado • Avocados are a fruit • Latin Americans wrap avocados up and give them as wedding gifts. • The avocado is also called an Alligator Pear because of its pear-like shape and green skin. • Avocado is a corruption of the Spanish word aguacate, which is in turn a corruption of the Aztec word ahuacatl. • California produces about 90% of the nation's avocado crop. • The avocado tree belongs to the family Lauraceae. It is classified as Persea americana.

16. Banana • Bananas are America's #1 fruit. • The average American consumes over 28 pounds of bananas each year. • There is no such thing as a banana tree. Bananas grow on plants. • Bananas are not grown commercially in the continental United States. They are grown in Latin and South America from countries like Costa Rica, Ecuador, Colombia, Honduras, Panama and Guatemala. • Bananas are available all year-round. They are harvested every day of the year. • Bananas are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Liliopsida, order Zingiberales, family Musaceae.

18. Cauliflower • Cauliflower is a vegetable. • Cauliflower, as its name implies, is a flower growing from a plant. • In its early stages, it resembles broccoli, which is its closest relative. • The heavy green leaves that surround the head protect the flower buds from the sunlight. • It is also a cruciferous vegetable being studied for its role in reducing cancer risk. • Mark Twain said “Cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college education.” • Cauliflower is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Capparales, family Cruciferae.

20. Blueberry • Blueberries are a fruit • Early American colonists made grey paint by boiling blueberries in milk. • Blueberries have been commercially cultivated only since the early 20th century, when the USDA helped develop new improved varieties. • The blueberry is the second most popular berry in the U.S. • Over 200 million pounds of blueberries are grown commercially each year. • The blueberry muffin is the official muffin of Minnesota. • The blueberry is the official berry of Nova Scotia. • The blueberry is the official state fruit of New Jersey • Blueberries are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Ericales, family Ericaceae.

22. Blackberry • Blackberries are a fruit. • Blackberries are red and hard when they are immature and turn black and shiny when they ripen. • Most commercial cultivation is limited to the United States. • There are literally thousands of varieties of blackberries, including an albino 'white blackberry,' and the dewberry, which bears a smaller fruit. • Blackberries can be easily confused with raspberries, but raspberries (including black raspberries) have a hollow center. • The blackberry is an aggregate fruit that is composed of many smaller fruits called drupes.  • The blackberry’s scientific name is Rubus ursinus

24. Cranberry • Cranberry is a fruit • Cranberries are almost 90% water. • Good, ripe cranberries will bounce. Bounceberry is another name for them. • Native Americans pounded cranberries into a paste and mixed with dried meat, and called this mixture 'pemmican.'  • Most of the world’s cranberries are cultivated in just five states: Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington. • There are several theories as to the origin of the name 'cranberry.' One is that the open flowers look like the head of a crane; another is that cranes like to these sour berries. • Cranberry is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Ericales, family Ericaceae.

26. Raspberry • Raspberry is a fruit. • Raspberries come in many colors besides red: there are also black, purple and gold raspberries. • Unripe berries will not ripen once picked. • Raspberries are have a hollow core that remains on the plant when you pick the raspberry. • Martin Van Buren, while campaigning for the presidency in 1840, was said by his opponents to "wallow in raspberries", a shocking extravagance. • Raspberry is a member of the rose family. • Raspberry’s scientific name is Rubus idaeus

28. Strawberry • The strawberry you eat is not really a fruit or a berry but is the enlarged receptacle of the flower. The average strawberry has about 200 seeds. • Strawberries were once avoided by pregnant women because it was believed that their children would be born with strawberry birth marks. • The U.S. is the leading producer of strawberries, and California is the highest producing state. • Strawberries are grown in every state in the U.S. and every province in Canada. • Strawberries were cultivated in ancient Rome and were used as a medicinal herb in the 13th Century. • Strawberries are a member of the Rose family. • Strawberries are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Rosales, family Rosaceae.

30. Broccoli • Broccoli is a vegetable. • Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family, and a close relative of cauliflower. • Broccoli is available year round, but it grows better in cool weather, so it can be in short supply in July and August. • Broccoli was developed some 2,500 years ago on the island of Cyprus. • Ninety percent of the fresh broccoli sold in the U.S. is grown in the Salinas Valley in California. • Broccoli was created by crossing cauliflower seeds with pea seeds. • Broccoli is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Capparales, family Cruciferae.

32. Brussels Sprout • Brussels Sprouts are a vegetable. • Brussels Sprouts were named after the capital of Belgium where it is thought that they were first cultivated. • Brussels Sprouts are also one of the few vegetables to have originated in northern Europe. • Brussels sprouts look like miniature heads of cabbage. • Most Brussels sprouts are grown in California. • Brussels sprouts and cabbage are members of the cruciferous vegetable family. • Brussels sprouts are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Capparales, family Cruciferae.

34. Cabbage • Cabbage is a vegetable. • Cabbage is grown best in cool, moist climates. • Cabbage is one of the oldest vegetables. • There are more than a hundred varieties of cabbage grown throughout the world. • Cato said “The cabbage surpasses all other vegetables.” • Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable. • Cabbages are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Capparales, family Cruciferae.

36. Carrot • Carrot is a vegetable. • Carrots were first cultivated in Afghanistan in the 7th century, and they started with yellow flesh and a purple exterior. • The Dutch developed the orange carrot. • The carrot was brought to by colonists to the New World, where it escaped into the wild and became Queen Anne's Lace. • The orange carrot is called “carotene” because of the beta-carotene it produces. • Carrots are members of the parsley family, characterized by feathery green leaves. • Carrots are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Umbellales, family Umbelliferae.

38. Celery • Celery is a vegetable. • Celery is native to the Mediterranean and the Middle East, and was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans as a flavoring. • The ancient Chinese used celery as a medicinal. • The celery that we all buy in the local supermarket is Pascal variety, first cultivated in 1874 in Michigan. • It takes more calories to eat and digest celery than there is in the celery. • The wild form of celery is known as smallage. • Celery is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Umbellales, family Umbelliferae.

40. Cherry • The cherry is one of the most commonly grown home-orchard fruits. • Sour cherries are hardier and more easily grown than sweet cherries and are mostly self-fertile, while many sweet cherries must be cross-pollinated to bear well. • Roman General Lucullus is said to have committed suicide when he realized he was running out of cherries. • Cherries are drupes, or stone fruits, related to plums and more distantly to peaches and nectarines. • The cherry is the state fruit of Utah. • Europe is the largest producing area of cherries. • Cherries are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Rosales, family Rosaceae.

42. Orange • The orange is technically a hesperidum, a type of berry.  • In Queen Victoria's day, oranges were given as Christmas gifts in England. • Columbus brought the orange to the West Indies. • Flowers and fruits in all stages of development are on the tree throughout the year, although a large portion of the fruits ripen at one time. • Brazil produces more oranges than any other country. • Most oranges are consumed fresh or made into juice. • Orange is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Sapindales, family Rutaceae.

44. Grapefruit • Grapefruit is a citrus fruit • Grapefruit originated sometime in the late 18th-century in the Caribbean. • Florida produces 1/3 of the world’s grapefruit. • Grapefruit got its name from the way it grows in clusters (like grapes) on the tree. • The Texas Red Grapefruit is the state fruit of Texas. • Grapefruit juice can have a major effect on the potency of various medications, and can even cause an overdose when taking prescribed doses. • Grapefruits are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Sapindales, family Rutaceae.

46. Lemon • Lemons are a citrus fruit. • There are two different types of lemons — acid and sweet. • Lemons are believed to have originated in Southeast Asia, and spread to Spain and North Africa during the Middle Ages. • The cultivated variety is thought to be a hybrid of wild species of lime and citron. • Third century Romans believed that the lemon was an antidote for all poisons. • Lemons contain 30 to 45 percent juice. • Lemon is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Sapindales, family Rutaceae.

48. Lime • Limes are a citrus fruit. • Limes are native to Southeast Asia, and probably originated in Indonesia or Malaysia. • The lime is the most susceptible to frost injury of all citrus fruits, but some varieties do well in sandy or rocky soils usually unfavorable to citrus. • Limes grow on small shrublike trees. • Limes are the most acidic of the citrus fruits. • The lime is a natural hybrid of the citron and papeda. • Limes are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Sapindales, family Rutaceae.

50. Coconut • Coconut is a fruit. • Coconut juice or coconut water is the liquid inside a coconut. • The coconut grows on the coco palm, which is one of the most useful trees in existence, every part of it having some value. • Coconut oil was the world's leading vegetable oil until soybean oil took over in the 1960s. • There are more than 20 billion coconuts produced each year • The seed of the coconut is peculiarly adapted to dispersal by water because the large pod holding the nut is buoyant and impervious to moisture. • Coconuts are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Liliopsida, order Arecales, family Palmae.