It's difficult to concentrate on your homework when your stomach is rumbling, isn't it? If you're going to perform to your potential, you need to fuel your body with some healthy after-school snacks. But what should you eat?

That leftover pizza in the refrigerator probably looks tasty. Of course, a big bowl of ice cream would hit the spot, too. Ripping open that new bag of potato chips would also be very satisfying. Your parents probably wouldn't approve of any of those choices, though.

When it comes to healthy after-school snacks, there's one thing that's sure to fuel your body while also satisfying your sweet tooth: fruit! Before you pick up your pen again, grab an apple or an orange.

Have you ever given much thought to where your fruit comes from? And, no, we don't mean the grocery store. We're talking about how these fruits are grown. They come from trees, right?

Fruits and trees do seem to go hand in hand. After all, oranges and apples do grow on trees. So do many other fruits, such as apricots, cherries, lemons, limes, coconuts, grapefruits, mangoes, nectarines, peaches, pears, persimmons, plums, and pomegranates, to name just a few!

But not all fruits grow on trees. Some grow on vines on the ground, while others might grow on small plants or bushes. Let's take a closer look at some fruits that you won't find growing on a tree.

Watermelons, for example, do not grow on trees. Given the size of these large melons, we can all be happy about that. Can you imagine a watermelon falling out of a tree onto your head? Ouch! Instead, watermelons grow on vines on the ground.

Watermelons aren't the only fruits that grow on the ground on vines. Fruits that grow in a similar way include cantaloupes and honeydew melons. Grapes also grow on vines, but their vines tend to climb rather than stay on the ground.

There are also several fruits that grow on bushes rather than trees. Most berries fall into this category. Examples of fruits that grow on bushes include blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.

There's one fruit that sounds like it would surely grow on a tree: the pineapple. Pine is a type of tree, and apples grow on trees, so surely pineapples grow on trees, right? Nope! Pineapples grow on a plant close to the ground. The pineapple's name comes from the Spanish word "pina" (because it reminded people of a pine cone) and the English word "apple" (because of its sweet taste).

Wonder What's Next?

Join us in Wonderopolis tomorrow as we examine one of the great mysteries of the human body!