Why Do Plants Bear Fruit?

Do you like fruits? Have you ever wondered why plants produce fruits? Is it only because nature wants you to enjoy eating its fruits and sing its praises?

The answer is no. Plants are much smarter than what you think they are. They actually use human beings, animals and birds who eat their fruits to propagate their kind. In other words, disperse their seeds.

The fruit serves as a mother’s womb where the embryo of a baby plant is nurtured. It protects the embryo, or the seed, in almost the same way as the mother protects her small ones. The flesh of the fruit serves as a protective lining as the seed develops. And, before the seed is ready to be sowed, the fruit is unripe and tastes sour. The sourness of the fruit discourages us from eating it.

Imagine what would have happened if raw fruits were sweet. It would have had an underdeveloped seed. After eating the fruit, you would throw the seed away. But, the seed, like a premature baby, would not have been able to bring about the birth of a new plant.

So, nature decided that fruits should become sweet only when they are ripe and the seeds ready to be sown on earth. The ripe fruit tempts you to eat it. So that after you eat it and throw the seed on the ground, it germinates in the soil to bring about a new plant.
Isn’t that smart?

263 words | 2 minutes
Readability: Grade 4 (9-10 year old children)
Based on Flesch–Kincaid readability scores

Filed under: 5ws and h
Tags: #nature, #fruits, #seeds

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