Today we're going to look at the gooseberry, a personal favourite of mine. It is a species of 'ribes' which include blackcurrant, redcurrant and of course the gooseberry. The gooseberry is indigenous to Europe and western Asia. The gooseberry can be found in Britain and Ireland although it is morecommon in Britain than Ireland and is found in similar places to blackberries although the gooseberry plant is not as hardy as the bramble despite its sharp thorns. It has a hairy skin. The prime climate for gooseberries is a lot of rain and mild temperatures, this is why Scotland is said to produce the best gooseberries in the world.

The Orange

Another of the big three fruits the orange is a favourite of many around the world. It originated in South-East asia like many other fruits and has now become a crucial part of many of the world's economies such as South Africa, Brazil, Mexico and U.S.A. The orange is a rich succulent fruit and could be considered a reason of the discovery of America in 1492. This is because the orange is a great source of Vitamin C which of course prevents scurvy.

Last week we discussed the apple but this week we're going to discuss the infamous banana.

Where did it come from?

The banana originated in Malaysia, it travelled to India in the 6th Century B.C. The famous conqourer Alexander the Great was noted for loving bananas when he first tried them on an expidition to India.

The name 'Banana' came from the the Arabic word for finger, banan. This of course is because when Bananas were discovered they were around the size of a man's finger.

To the right is a picture of the banana plant.

Fun Fact

The banana plant is not a tree it is the largest herb in the world!

Fruits

What is the world's best fruit?

A question that has plagued the minds of many since the dawn of man. Since before humans roamed the Earth fruits have been crucial to all plants and animals survival. Of course without fruits most of the worlds plants would simply die out and as a result of that so would most animals.

My quest to find the world's greatest fruit begins with the humble apple. A favourite of many of the world's people. Apples come in a variety of different flavours and varieties, the most popular being Granny-Smith, Pink Lady and Golden Delicious.

Apples originated in central asia and are crucial to modern industry throughout the world, especially in America where it is the fruit industry's leader. However be careful not to leave it out rotting on the kitchen table or you might end up with something similar to below!

Rotting Apple - Watch a funny movie here