HortiCOOLture - Flowers Turning Into Fruit

Developing pear fruit.

I was in my garden the other day and saw these tiny fruits.  They look dainty now but soon they can be up to one-pound-size fruits.

The fruit of the pear (Pyrus communis) is considered an accessory fruit.   Accessory fruits are sometimes referred to as false fruits because technically, the fleshy part of the fruit that we eat is not the fruit.  Instead it is the enlarged receptacle.  The fruit is described as the ripened ovary.  In the case of the pear or apple the actual fruit is the core.  If you look at the picture above, remnants of the flower other parts are still visible and yet the receptacle is obviously in the process of enlarging.   The receptacle will continue to enlarge and envelop the developing fruit (core) which contains the seed.  Thanks to the receptacle or else the pear fruit would be of little food value.  To understand this concept better, look at the illustrated parts of a flower.

Stroll in your garden...it's good for you and your plants.