Quiz, myth or fact, and the patch planner
Test yourself. Every answer comes with its source.
How to play. Pick an answer and the fact behind it appears, with a link to where it comes from. Without JavaScript, open “Show the answer” under each question.
The strawberry quiz
1 Which plant family do strawberries belong to?
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The rose family. Strawberries belong to the genus Fragaria: more than 20 species of flowering plants in the rose family, grown for their fruit. Britannica
2 What are the little “seeds” on the outside of a strawberry?
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The true fruits, called achenes. The little “seeds” on the outside are really the true fruits, called achenes. Britannica
3 Is a strawberry a true berry, botanically?
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No: it is an accessory, aggregate fruit. Botanically, a strawberry isn’t a true berry. Britannica calls it an “accessory fruit”: the red flesh is the swollen base of the flower, called the receptacle. Britannica
4 How far apart should strawberry plants go in a bed?
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35–40cm. Space plants 35–40cm (14–16in) apart, in rows about 75cm (30in) apart. RHS
5 What happens if you plant the crown too deep?
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It rots. Depth matters. Plant the crown too deep and it will rot; too shallow and the plant will dry out quickly. RHS
6 What does straw under the plants do?
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Keeps the fruit clean and dry. Put straw under the plants when fruits start to form. It keeps the fruit off the damp ground, so it stays clean and dry and is less likely to rot. RHS
7 How often should a strawberry bed be replanted?
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Every three or four years. A strawberry bed usually stays healthy for up to four years. Replant every three or four years, in a different place. RHS
8 Who brought big Chilean strawberries to France in 1712–14?
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Amédée-François Frézier. In 1712 King Louis XIV sent Amédée-François Frézier, an officer in French Army intelligence, to Chile and Peru, where he studied Spanish forts while posing as a merchant. Science History Institute
9 Frézier said the Chilean strawberries could be as big as…
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A hen’s egg. Frézier wrote that the Chilean berries were “as big as a walnut, and sometimes as a hen’s egg”. Science History Institute
10 Why did Duchesne call the garden strawberry ‘ananassa’?
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It tasted a little like pineapple. The French botanist Antoine Nicolas Duchesne named the hybrid Fragaria × ananassa, because it tasted a little of pineapple (Ananas). Univ. of Minnesota
11 How many strawberries does Wimbledon sell a year?
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Over 2.5 million. Wimbledon sells over 2.5 million strawberries every year, according to the LTA. LTA
12 What turns the middle of a frosted strawberry flower black?
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Black eye, from frost. Black eye is frost damage: the middle of the flower turns black while the petals stay white, and that flower won’t make a strawberry. RHS, black eye
Myth or fact?
Eight statements. Some are true, some are myths.
1 Strawberries are true berries.
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Myth. Britannica’s article on berries puts strawberries with raspberries and blackberries as aggregate fruits, not true berries. Britannica, berry
2 Bananas are true berries, botanically.
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Fact. Cranberries and blueberries, on the other hand, are true botanical berries; so, botanically, are bananas, grapes and tomatoes. Britannica, berry
3 Strawberries keep ripening after you pick them.
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Myth. Pick only fully ripe berries, bright red all over: they don’t ripen any more once picked. The warmest part of the day is when they taste best. RHS
4 Strawberry plants can make new plants on long runners.
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Fact. As the plant gets older, the mother crown sends out runners. They touch the ground and take root, making new plants. Britannica
5 Strawberries only grow in a big garden bed.
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Myth. They are easy to grow in pots, growing bags, hanging baskets, troughs and tubs. RHS
6 Some alpine strawberries have white or yellow berries.
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Fact. Alpine berries are usually red, but a few varieties have white or yellow berries. RHS
7 Strawberries are named after the straw they are bedded on.
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Myth. The name probably comes from the way the plants spread. In Old English the berry was streawberige, and ‘strew’ and ‘straw’ could both mean to spread or scatter. Univ. of Minnesota
8 All modern commercial strawberries come from a cross between a Chilean and a Virginian strawberry.
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Fact. The Chilean strawberry crossed with a strawberry from Virginia. All modern commercial strawberries come from that hybrid. Science History Institute
The patch planner
How many strawberry plants fit your bed? The planner uses the RHS spacings below.
Space plants 35–40cm (14–16in) apart, in rows about 75cm (30in) apart. RHS
Type your bed size and press the button.
Our own arithmetic, not a quoted fact: plants are set at least 20cm in from each end and edge, and rows are 75cm apart. Real beds need paths, so treat the answer as a maximum.