7 fruits that are native to the MENA region

There's nothing better than picking fruits off a tree and eating them right on the spot. Fortunately enough, there are many fruits that are native to the MENA region, making it so easy to grow the plant right in your backyard.

Here are 7 fruits you should consider:

Native to the Middle East and western Asia, the fruit has been growing in the Middle East since pre-historic times. The fruit was mentioned in Iraq as early as 2,500 BC. It is now widely grown throughout the world.

Turkey, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Iran, Syria and Tunisia are among the top 10 fig producing countries in the world.

The place of origin of the date palm is unknown due to long cultivation, however it is believed the plant originated from lands around Iraq. The plant has been cultivated since ancient times from Mesopotamia to pre-historic Egypt as early as 4,000 BC. The ancient Egyptians use the fruit to make date wine.

Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Iraq, Oman, UAE, Tunisia and Libya are among the top 10 date producing countries in the world.

The olive tree is an evergreen tree or shrub that is native to the Mediterranean, Asia and Africa. Cultivation of olives dates back 6,000 to 7,000 years in ancient Persia, present day Iran, and Mesopotamia, present day Iraq and parts of Kuwait, Syria and the areas along the Turkish-Syrian and Iran-Iraq borders.

The plant later spread from these regions throughout present-day Syria, Lebanon and Palestine

Turkey, Morocco, Syria, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt are among the top 10 most olive producing countries in the world.

The majority of grapes come from cultivars of a European grapevine, vitis vinefera, a vine that is native to the Mediterranean and Central Asia. The cultivation of the domesticated grape began between 6,000 and 8,00 years ago in the near East. The oldest winery was located in Armenia, dating back to around 4,000 BC.

By the 9th century AD, Shiraz, Iran was known to produce some of the finest wines in the Middle East.

Turkey and Iran are among the top 10 producing grape countries in the world.

Muskmelon is a species of melon that is native to Iran, Anatolia and Armenia. Persia and the trans-Caucasus are believed to be the main center of origin. Musk is a Persian word for a type of perfume.

The pomegranate originated in the region of modern-day Iran and has been cultivated since ancient times throughout the Mediterranean and northern India.

Ancient Egyptians regarded the fruit as a symbol of prosperity and ambition. According to one of the oldest medical writings, the Ebers Papyrus from around 1,500 BC, Egyptians used the fruit for treating tapeworm and other infections.

The almond is a species of tree native to the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and North Africa. It was spread by humans during ancient times along the shores of the Mediterranean into northern Africa and southern Europe and was more recently transported to other parts of the world including California in the United States.

Iran was among the top 5 almond producing countries in the world in 2013.