15 Interesting facts about strawberries

Fun and interesting facts about strawberries

1. The scientific name of the commonly cultivated strawberries is Fragaria ananassa.  F. moschata is also cultivated in some areas. The woodland or alpine strawberry’s scientific name is F. vesca 
2. There are 103 species of strawberries.
3. On the average, there are 200 seeds in every strawberry.
4. Except for red, strawberries can be white, pink, yellow, and golden. 
5. Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside rather than the inside.
6. Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in the spring.
7. Some of the earliest accounts of strawberries came from ancient Rome circa 200 BC. The first sketch of a strawberry plant was printed in 1484.
8. Strawberries were taken from Chile to France. They were crossed with European strawberries, resulting in the large berries we eat today.
9. Their cultivation officially began in the 1300s in Europe.
10. The ancient Romans believed that strawberries alleviated symptoms of melancholy, fainting, all inflammations, fevers, throat infections, kidney stones, bad breath, attacks of gout, and diseases of the blood, liver, and spleen. This is perhaps because strawberries contain a high amount of vitamin C which is a natural antioxidant.
11. Strawberries contain more Vitamin C than oranges. One large sweet red berry contains 10.5 mg, compared to 70 mg of vitamin C in an orange. Eight strawberries provide 140 % of the daily recommended vitamin C for kids.
12. Strawberries are low in calories, low-fat, and a good source of fiber, folic acid, and potassium.
13. One acre of land can grow about 50,000 pounds (22.680 kg) of strawberries.
14. A massive strawberry weighing 10.19 oz (289 grams) was recorded on the Guinness World Record as the heaviest strawberry in 2022.
15. Some people are afraid of strawberries, a phobia referred to as fragariaphobia. This word was derived from the genus strawberries, which belongs to Fragraria, and phobia, the word for fear.

Further reading

10 Health Benefits of Strawberries

References

https://web.extension.illinois.edu/strawberries/

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/strawberries_and_the_science_behind_them

https://southfloridareporter.com/the-fear-of-strawberries-is-fragariaphobia/