Strawberry Facts

The world-famous garden strawberry is one of the most common garden cultivars.

It is generally not known that strawberries are in the same family of the rose flower (Rosaceae) and are really not considered a fruit: the part we eat does not consist of the plant's ovaries (the common definition of fruit), but of the hypanthium (a saucer-shaped structure that holds the ovaries).

Strawberries as we know them today are a hybrid of different species, specifically selected by breeders during the centuries to yield more crop, with a better taste and a more nutritious profile.

In addition to having a very important nutritional value, with an abundance of antioxidants like anthocyanins, strawberries have been used for centuries as symbols of purity and longevity (they were used as sacred symbols by Christian stonemasons) and depending on cultures were believed to prolong life (like the famous 18th century writer Fontenelle, a centenarian who believed strawberries to be the cause of his longevity) or to be highly poisonous (like in Argentina until 1850).

Fragaria chiloensis is known for its large berries

We feature several articles to help decide if and how you should include strawberries in your diet, guiding you through their proven health benefits and possible allergic complications, as well as explaining, where possible, the scientific base and facts behind our statements.

We believe in giving easy to read, precise and matter-of-fact information, for instance our nutrition facts table provides very detailed information directly from the US Food and Drug Administration's database.

You will also find interesting facts and trivia to tell your friends (would you imagine that French noblewomen loved these berries as much as to bathe in their juice?).

A section we're very proud of is the strawberry gardening section where we explain how to select, plant and grow these wonderful fruits in your garden or in a pot, with easy information that will help you decide the best strawberry variety and species for your needs and tastes.