Myths

Strawberry myths and odd facts

Things everyone “knows” about strawberries, checked.

How this site works. Every fact is in our own words and linked to its source, beside it. Growing advice comes mainly from the RHS, the UK’s gardening charity.

1. MythStrawberries are berries.

   FactBotanically, 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 Britannica’s article on berries puts strawberries with raspberries and blackberries as aggregate fruits, not true berries. Britannica, berry

2. MythThe seeds on the outside are just seeds.

   FactThe little “seeds” on the outside are really the true fruits, called achenes. Britannica

3. MythStrawberries carry on ripening after you pick them.

   FactPick 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. MythStrawberries are named after the straw they are bedded on.

   FactThe 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 Many people think strawberries are named after the straw they are bedded on; others think of the straw colour of the seeds. Univ. of Minnesota

5. MythYou need a big garden to grow strawberries.

   FactThey are easy to grow in pots, growing bags, hanging baskets, troughs and tubs. RHS

6. MythStrawberries are always red.

   FactAlpine berries are usually red, but a few varieties have white or yellow berries. RHS

7. MythStrawberry plants last for ever.

   FactA strawberry bed usually stays healthy for up to four years. Replant every three or four years, in a different place. RHS

8. MythStrawberries have always been big.

   FactIn Europe and Russia, the small woodland strawberry and the musk strawberry had been grown for centuries. Univ. of Minnesota Frézier wrote that the Chilean berries were “as big as a walnut, and sometimes as a hen’s egg”. Science History Institute Crossing with the Chilean strawberry made strawberries larger. Science History Institute

9. MythBananas, grapes and tomatoes can’t be berries.

   FactCranberries and blueberries, on the other hand, are true botanical berries; so, botanically, are bananas, grapes and tomatoes. Britannica, berry

10. MythMore straw is always better.

    FactWheat straw is fine, but barley straw is softer. Take the straw away in autumn, when it can harbour fungal diseases, slugs and snails. RHS

11. MythWatering the leaves is fine.

    FactTry not to wet the crown or the fruit when watering, as that can lead to fungal problems, especially grey mould. Water in the morning, not the evening. RHS

Odd facts

Strawberries give off more than 360 different scent chemicals, such as esters and alcohols. Science History Institute

Unlike apples and bananas, which store starch as they grow, a strawberry plant puts sugars straight into its fruit. Science History Institute

A strawberry spends about four weeks developing, but once ripe it can soften and get blemishes within hours. Science History Institute

A single mother plant can produce more than a hundred daughter plants in one season, according to the University of Minnesota. Univ. of Minnesota