Spring is in the air, and plants bearing one of Americans’ favorite fruits are available. Individual berries have approximately 150-200 seeds, called achenes, embedded in the flesh.
Strawberries just harvested from the field.
Anna Sarah Hill, ©2025, Clemson Extension
Why Are They Called Strawberries? The Origins of the Name
The fruit we know by the name of strawberry has been called many names over the years by many different cultures, including lesser-known names such as ground berry, small berry, sweet berry, and fragrant berry. More well-known names are heart berry and strawberry. The English named them strawberry, and the name stuck. It is probably a mispronunciation of the old English word “strewian” or “strawian”. The term means strewn about and probably refers to the runner growth habit of the plants, with the attached berries being scattered (aka. strewn) about the ground.
From Straw to Row Covers: Modern Strawberry Cultivation Techniques
The name strawberry is also descriptive of the straw that the plants were traditionally covered with to insulate and protect the berries from the cold weather, as well as keep them clean. Later, burlap replaced the straw, and it was replaced with modern row covers made from various materials ranging from nonwoven fabrics to polyester and polyethylene. These row covers are white or translucent and allow sunlight and water in. The row covers are either installed over wire support hoops to hold the material off the leaves or floating covers that are laid directly on the plants. They are weighed down on the edges with dirt and/or rocks and make a cozy microclimate where the plants thrive. The trapped heat absorbed from the sun protects the plants from freeze events. Another current deviation in traditional strawberry production is plasticulture. Today’s strawberries are grown on raised beds covered with plastic. This helps keep the roots warm and moist and protects the plants from direct contact with soil-borne pathogens.
Wild Roots: Native Strawberry Species of North America
Strawberries, formerly called heart berries, are endemic to North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Historically, two primary types grew in the United States: Fragaria vesca (woodland strawberry) and Fragaria virginiana (wild strawberry). F. vesca, found in the Northern states, ranging from the east to west coasts and central western states, is also native to Europe. F. virginiana is more prevalent in the U.S. and found in all the lower 48 states as well as Alaska. Both species are smaller and sweeter than modern cultivated varieties.
A Royal Favorite: Strawberries in European History
The French are attributed with being the first to attempt cultivation in home gardens around the 14th century. Perhaps King Charles V’s fetish for strawberries helped to jump-start the effort. He had 1,200 strawberry plants transplanted from the wild into the Royal Gardens at the Louvre. Strawberries were also a favorite of King Louis XIV, who wanted as many different species as possible to be grown in his garden at Versailles. During the 1600s, F. virginiana (commonly dubbed the Virginia strawberry) was taken from the New World to Europe and slowly began to spread throughout Europe, gaining popularity by the 1800s.
The Birth of Modern Strawberries: A Botanical Love Story
During a mapping expedition, a French spy, Amédée-François Frézier, discovered a large white Chilean strawberry, Fragaria chiloensis. He was so enamored with the large fruit, which he described as large as walnuts, that he brought some back to France. The Virginia strawberry and the Chilean strawberry grown side by side in European gardens eventually cross-pollinated, and the result was Fragaria x ananassa. Fragaria is Latin for sweet, and ananassa is derived from the word Ananas, which is the pineapple genus. The bloom of the Chilean strawberry was said to have a pineapple fragrance.
Strawberries in America: From Hudson to Hovey
Eventually, Fragaria x ananassa made its way back across the Atlantic to the Americas. The first strawberry hybrid developed in the USA was “Hudson” in 1780. In 1834, the first strawberry variety in America, named “Hovey,” was developed from the first planned cross by Charles Hovey. This is a parent of all modern-day varieties. Over the years, the plants have been hybridized, crossed, and backcrossed to develop more hardy, higher-yielding, and pest-resistant varieties.
Types of Strawberries & Regional Growing Tips
Three different types of strawberries, everbearing, day-neutral, and June-bearing, have been developed for different regions of the country. Everbearing strawberries produce a large crop of berries in the spring and a second crop in the fall. Day-neutral strawberries are not sensitive to day length but rather temperature dependent and will flower and fruit when temperatures are between specific temperatures. Everbearing and day-neutral varieties were developed for northern and western areas and are not conducive to our hot, humid environment. June-bearing types produce one large crop each year, have numerous runners, and are easily propagated. They are more suitable for the coastal plains of South Carolina and are commonly grown as an annual by commercial growers. They are planted in September or October, quickly establish roots, and develop crowns. As temperatures begin to cool down in late November, development slows, and the plants wait patiently during the cold, short days of winter until the warmth of spring to burst forth in bloom, set fruit and ripen, typically in April and May in the coastal plains of SC.
Seeded Heart Berries: Native American Significance & Tradition
The wild heart-shaped berries in North America typically ripened in June and were held in such high esteem by the Native Americans that they named the first full moon in June “strawberry moon” because it marked the season for strawberry harvest. The Algonquin name for the berries meant “seeded heart berry,” and they held both cultural and spiritual significance to them. Native Americans ate the berries fresh, dried them, and ground them into a pulp, which they mixed with cornmeal to make strawberry bread, a precursor to today’s shortbread. They also brewed the leaves into a tea, which they believed had many medicinal uses, including blood purification.
Symbolism & Medicinal Use Through the Ages
The ancient Romans also recognized strawberries as having medicinal value and used them to cure various ailments, including kidney stones, depression, and sore throat. Strawberries have been a symbol of love dating back to the ancient Greeks. European cultures associated them with fertility and purity, whereas the Asians thought they were symbols of good luck and prosperity. The heart berries have been used in perfumes, and one famous Madame in Emperor Napoleon’s court took baths in strawberry juice. She reportedly used 22 lbs. of strawberries per bath.
From Strawberry Boats to Cold Chain Logistics
Commercial production of strawberries increased in the 1800s with better variety development and as the popularity of strawberries and cream as a favorite dessert grew. The limiting factors to commercial production and sales were the short shelf life and problems related to fresh fruit shipment. Strawberries were the first fresh fruit to be shipped using refrigeration. In 1843, a group of Ohio farmers packed ice on top of boxes filled with strawberries and shipped them on wagons from Cincinnati. Strawberry production soared in New York state during the 1840s-50s. They were loaded into baskets and hauled to nearby New York City to be loaded onto steamboats dubbed “strawberry boats” and later trains referred to as “strawberry trains”. In 1867, Parker Earle designed specialized ice boxes for fruit shipment and shipped the first load of strawberries on the train from Southern Illinois to Chicago.
Strawberries Today: A Global Delight
In the 1950s, China began commercially producing strawberries. Today, China is the top producer of strawberries worldwide, and the United States is second. California produces 91% of the total U.S. strawberry crop (NASS 2021).
Taste the Tradition: U-Pick Experiences & Culinary Inspiration
Strawberry consumption in the U.S. has steadily increased in recent years. Americans consumed an average of 6.2 lbs. of fresh strawberries per capita in 2018-2020 (ERS, USDA 2023). More than 53% of American children aged 7-9 voted strawberries as their favorite fruit.
This spring, look for a fresh market near you and purchase a fresh batch of strawberries, or for a more rewarding experience, find a local U-pick and take your family out to pick them. As you are picking, think about Indigenous people who historically gathered wild-type berries and prepared them as strawberry bread. Bring the berries home and treat yourself to a bowl of ice cream garnished with fresh strawberries. Relax and pretend that you are a member of King Henry VIII’s court, tasting the combined delicacy compliments of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. He has been credited as the first person to eat strawberries with cream. The rich history, culture, and tradition of the strawberry are as intertwined as the straw that was once used to protect them.
Conclusion: A Fruit with a Storied Past and a Sweet Future
Upon reflection, the name strawberry, derived from “strewian,” is the best name for the heart-seeded berries that are strewn about the ground and spread around the globe.
For more information
- HGIC 1405, Growing Strawberries – Clemson Extension
- HGIC 1404, Strawberry Types – Clemson Extension
References
- The University of Kansas American Indian Health – Health
- WSHU Public Radio Strawberry Moon
- USDA US Forest Service Woodland Strawberry
- USDA Plants Database Plant Profile General
- Fragaria virginiana (Wild Strawberry): Minnesota Wildflowers
- Missouri Environment & Garden Native Plant Facts: Wild strawberry, Virginia strawberry
- The University of Vermont History of the Strawberry
- Strawberry: A Brief History // Missouri Environment and Garden News Article // Integrated Pest Management, University of Missouri
- What is the history behind strawberries? – North Carolina Strawberry Association
- Celebrating the history of the strawberry – MSU Extension
- A spy, a botanist, and a strawberry | Minnesota Fruit Research
- The Strawberry in North America: History, Origin, Botany, and Breeding | Nature
- What’s in Season from the Garden State: Jersey Strawberries – The Breed Goes On: Newsroom
- Facts About Florida Strawberries – Florida Strawberry Grower Association
- Strawberries | Small Fruits for Home Gardens | Illinois Extension | UIUC
- Strawberry Trains – Piermont Historical Society
- Strawberries | Agricultural Marketing Resource Center
- U.S. fresh strawberry production expands with newer varieties | USDA Economic Research Service
- A look at the current state of the U.S. strawberry market
- Strawberry Production by Country 2025
