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Understanding Fruit
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By Jaclyn Pestka, Wayne Gisslen and Lou Sackett
Published 2010
A fruit is the reproductive organ, specifically the ovary, of a seed plant. When we speak of fruit in the culinary sense, we mean those plant ovaries that have fleshy pulp sweet enough to be served as a dessert. However, many vegetables are botanically classed as fruits. Tomatoes, squash, and avocados are good examples.
When fruit reaches its full size, it is considered mature. For most vegetables, maturity is the optimal point at which harvesting and consumption should occur. However, most fruits (including those classed as vegetables) undergo an additional phase of development that makes them better to eat. This phase is called ripening.
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