STRAWBERRIES

The strawberry belongs to the genus Fragraria in the rose family, along with apples and
plums. The name of the scientific classification was derived from the old latin word for
fragrant. The modern Italian word for strawberry is still "Fragola".
The strawberry is not classified by botanists as a true berry. True berries, such as
blueberries and cranberries have seeds inside. The strawberry, however has its dry, yellow
"seeds" on the outside (each of which is actually considered a separate fruit).
The fruit is widely appreciated for its characteristic aroma, bright red color, juicy texture, and
sweetness. It is consumed in large quantities, either fresh or in such prepared foods as
preserves, fruit juice, pies, ice creams, milkshakes, and chocolates. Artificial strawberry aroma is
also widely used in many industrial food products.
There is a legend that strawberries were named in the nineteenth-century by English
children who picked the fruit, strung them on grass straws and sold them as "Straws of
berries". Another theory is the name was derived from the nineteenth-century practice (and still
today, although most farms use raised beds, enclosed in plastic) of placing straw around the
growing berry plants to protect the ripening fruit. But the most widely held view is that the name
Strawberry was derived from the berries that are "strewn" about on the plants, and the name
"strewn berry" eventually morphed into "Strawberry".






Lola Anaevska