15 FOODS AND PRODUCTS OF THE TEMPERATE CLIMATE - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The foods and products of the temperate climate such as apples, pears, onions or tomatoes constitute one of the most important resources of these climatic zones; not only because of its importance for a correct diet, but also because of the economic income it entails.

Below you will find a list so you can start growing them yourself or buy them at the nearest supermarket. They are fruits, vegetables and other products that have numerous health properties.

1- Apples

Apples are in the first place among the fruits of temperate regions. The apple tree, its tree, has been cultivated for 3,100 years and today there are perhaps 7,000 horticultural areas of apples.

This large number may be due in part to the ease of hybridization and their great variability.

The apple tree is short, round, crowned, and rarely exceeds 20 feet in height. It can reach an age of 100 years. The wood of its cut is hard and dense and is used for tool handles and firewood.

The flowers are pink and white and the leaves are found together, usually at the ends of short branches, known as spurs.

Apples grow well in many different types of soils and climates and the best performance is obtained when the soil contains a small amount of lime. There are only a few varieties that grow in the tropics and these are generally placed at higher elevations.

The main apple growing regions are North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Apples can be grown from their seeds, but propagation is generally by grafting.

Harvesting occurs when they are fully ripe to allow all the necessary chemical changes to take place during ripening.

2- Pears

The common pear or "Pyrus communis" is native to Eurasia and is a fruit known since ancient times. Its flowers are generally white and are formed with the leaves.

It is a sweet and juicy fruit, and the flesh contains grains or stone cells, a specialized type of cells with very thick walls.

They do best in heavy soils with considerable humus and good drainage and in regions near large bodies of water. They are propagated from seed or by grafting.

Pears are widely cultivated in Europe, where more than 5,000 varieties are known. France is the main producer along with the United States producing about 25 percent of the world harvest. Pears are picked before they are fully ripe.

3- Onions

Onions are widely grown across a range of climates, but they thrive best when temperatures are cool during early development. For its maturity a sunny and warm climate is preferred.

In temperate and warm temperate regions, depending on the environment, the growing cycle can take from 9 to 10 months. The formation of bulbs requires 12 to 15 hours of duration.

Planting crops at higher densities can increase light interception, but in thicker crops the bulb size is smaller. Therefore, it is important to manipulate planting density to provide maximum yields from a desired bulb size.

4- Tomatoes

Tomatoes grow in seed trays which must be sown at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed and at a distance, between each, of 40 or 60 m apart. They do best in temperate climates, at soil temperatures between 16 ° C and 35 ° C.

They are harvested in 8 to 17 weeks and can grow in the same soil with asparagus, cherries, carrots, celery, chives, parsley and basil. They should not grow near potatoes, rosemary, or fennel.

5- Peaches

Peaches are of great importance in North America. The tree is native to China, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years. The peach reached the Mediterranean region and the Romans cultivated at least six varieties.

This fruit came to North America with the first settlers. It is currently grown in most of the world's temperate climates, especially in southern Europe, the United States, South Africa, Japan, and Australia. Today there are more than 3,000 varieties cultivated.

Its tree is short-lived and susceptible to frost injuries due to low temperatures. The pink flowers are produced before the leaves and the round fruits have a velvety skin and a compressed, frayed or furrowed stone.

The plant grows best in sandy soil and commercial orchards are usually close to large bodies of water. Peaches or peaches are generally eaten fresh or canned.

6- Alfalfa

Alfalfa is the “Medicago sativa” plant and there are many subspecies. It is a perennial plant that grows up to 30 inches (0.75 m) tall in a wide range of soil conditions.

Its small flowers range from yellow to purple and it is probably native to the area around the Mediterranean Sea, but it is extensively cultivated as fodder for livestock in all temperate climates.

7- Wheat

Wheat is a cereal that is grown for food. Wheat is usually ground into flour and is used to make bread. The required temperature for wheat during the growing season is around 15.5 ° C.

The climate should be hot and humid during the early growth stage and sunny and dry in the later stages. The amount of rain required for growing wheat varies between 30 cm and 100 cm. The main wheat soils of temperate regions have an annual rainfall of 38 cm to 80 cm.

8- Cherries

Cherries have white or pinkish flowers that are produced in clusters. They are native to Eurasia and were widely cultivated in ancient times. There are more than 1,200 varieties that have been in cultivation and these belong to two different species.

The fruits of native American cherries have little commercial value. Cherries are widely grown in temperate regions and are especially important in Europe. Several species of Japanese cherry, mainly the "Prunusserrulata", are cultivated for ornamental purposes.

9- Mustard

Native to temperate regions of Europe, mustard was one of the earliest crops in history.

The ancient Greeks and Romans enjoyed mustard seed as a paste and powder. In the year 1300, the name "mustard" was given to the seasoning made by mixing mustum, which is the Latin word for unfermented grape juice, with ground mustard seeds.

More than 700 million pounds of mustard are consumed worldwide each year. Yellow mustard is generally used for table preparation, as a condiment, and as dry mustard. Dry mustard is frequently used as a condiment in mayonnaise, salad dressings, and sauces.

Flour made from yellow mustard is an excellent emulsifying and stabilizing agent and is therefore used in the preparation of sausages. Brown mustards and oriental mustards are also used as oil crops.

10- Plums and prunes

Plums are small trees or shrubs with large, smooth white flowers. Commercial plums in North America are derived from three main sources: European plums, native American species, and Japanese species.

There is a great diversity of climatic requirements for these three types of plum, although the most favorable is the temperate one. Plums are used as fresh fruits, juices, preserves, and jams.

They are collected when they mature. However, for preserves and jams they are allowed to mature longer. California and Michigan have led plum production in North America.

11- Quinoa

It is a plant found in the Andes, where it is widely cultivated since its seed is edible and rich in vitamins and minerals. The ideal average temperature to grow it is about 15-20 degrees Celsius, although it supports temperatures that range between 38ºC and -8ºC.

The quinoa plant supports intense solar radiation which allows it to gain the hours of heat necessary to complete its growth and production period.

12- Melon

The melon, "Cucumis melo", is a wild plant native to South Asia. Melon arrived in Europe in the 17th century and is now grown in most warm temperate climates.

The Cantelupo melon is the most cultivated in North America. The true melon is a European melon that is not grown in North America. This fruit has a hard warty rind and dark yellow flesh. Winter melons are larger, softer, and more spherical than melons from temperate climates.

13- Strawberry

Strawberry is a small fruit that is grown in most temperate climates. However, it is very perishable. It is not a berry, but an accessory fruit aggregate, consisting of a series of small dried achenes embedded in the surface of a large fleshy container.

They have been cultivated in Europe since the 14th century and in America since colonial times. They require only good soil, a temperate climate, and plenty of sunlight. In the United States its cultivation has been of commercial importance since 1860.

Strawberries are primarily used as a dessert, but are also canned, frozen, and used in juices, jams and preserves, and as a flavoring

14- Carrot

Carrot is easy to grow and only requires a temperate climate. The seed should be sown at a depth approximately three times its diameter.

The perfect soil temperature for carrot cultivation is between 8 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius and the seeds must be sown with a separation between 5 and 30 centimeters.

They are harvested over a 12 to 18 week period and can be sown alongside onions, leeks, lettuce, sage, peas, radishes, tomatoes, beans, celery, and rosemary. Sowing near beets, dill or fennel should be avoided.

15- Quince

The quince, 'Cydonia oblonga', was cultivated since ancient times and was highly valued by the Romans. It is native to western Asia from Iran to Turkestan and can still be found in the wild.

It is a small tree 15-20 feet tall with many crooked branches. The fruit is large, round or pear-shaped. The seeds have a mucilaginous coat and are of great medicinal value. The fruit is generally used for jelly and jam, often mixed with pears and apples.

References

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