Where Do Strawberries Come From? Amazing Berry Facts For Kids

Strawberries are members of the Rosaceae family (Fragaria ananassa), a popular Fragaria genus hybrid.

Strawberries are grown around the world for their succulent fruits, which are known for their vivid red color, juicy texture, taste, and perfume. Strawberries are commonly consumed for their taste, and eaten either raw or cooked, in fruit juices, in fruit-related spread, ice creams, pies, milkshakes, and chocolate.

Garden strawberries were initially cultivated in the '70s in Brittany, France, by crossing Fragaria virginiana from eastern North America with Fragaria chiloensis from Chile, which was imported to France in 1714. Fragaria ananassa varieties, on the other hand, have dominated commercial strawberry production. Strawberry plants were originally discovered in ancient Rome in 234 BC, according to history, and were widely used for their therapeutic purposes. The modern strawberry was first discovered in America in 1588 by the people of Europe.

Strawberries produce flowers, which are followed by fruit. The pollination of the plant occurs in the golden center of each little bloom. Flower petals fall off after pollination, and the yellow core may grow to become a strawberry. If you are fortunate, each strawberry branch (also known as a flower truss) bears three to eight blossoms. It takes roughly four weeks from the time these plants blossom to the time the fruit is picked for June-bearing plants. June-bearing strawberry plants should be planted in 2 ft (60 cm) wide matted rows to maximize yield. For gardens with limited area, matted rows are suitable. Day-neutral and ever-bearing types bloom at around the same time in the spring and flower and harvest in roughly the same period of time. The distinction is that strawberries grow and continue to bloom throughout the summer. Strawberries are perennials, which means they go dormant throughout the winter and come back ready to go in the spring.

Strawberry plants can be grown for at least a few months of the year in almost any planting zone. Strawberries grow in rich, well-drained, somewhat acidic soil and thrive in full sun, but they may tolerate partial shade. The main roots of each strawberry plant are called primary roots. A strawberry primary root transports absorbed water and nutrients from the soil to the strawberry plant's top. These roots are perennial in nature, meaning they will last for many years. Strawberry 'feeder' roots are secondary strawberry roots.

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Where do strawberries come from in the winter?

Strawberries are endemic to North America, and these berries have been used in a variety of recipes by many people over the years. As early as 1600, the first colonists in America sent native strawberry plants back to Europe. California and Florida are the leading two strawberry-producing states in the United States, with California accounting for over 90% of the total crop. The majority of the domestic winter strawberry harvest, on the other hand, is grown in Florida.

Strawberries, like other hardy perennials, die back in the winter and reappear in the spring when the soil warms. Many species of strawberries develop multiple runners with new plants at the terminals after yielding fruit, as fast as February in Florida or June farther north.

Plants go into a condition of hibernation, slowing their cellular functions and remaining dormant until warmer temperatures return in late winter or early spring the following year. In moderate coastal areas, fall and winter might be the most prolific seasons.

Where do the best strawberries come from?

California and Florida are by far the biggest fresh-market strawberry-producing states, with North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania rounding out the top five. Strawberry output in the United States is the highest in the world, followed by China and Spain. The majority of strawberries grown in the United States are consumed uncooked. More than 40% of strawberries grown in the United States were processed several decades ago, but that percentage has dropped to fewer than 20% in recent years.

In most circumstances, the cost of processing strawberries is less than half of the cost of buying strawberries at the market. Almost all strawberries are utilized for fresh-market sales in Pennsylvania and the surrounding states. In the United States now, strawberries are farmed on more than 60,000 acre (24,281 ha). The Royal Sovereign strawberry has a sweet, aromatic flavor and this ancient variety is often regarded as the finest of any strawberry. The sweet, aromatic fragrance of this ancient variety is typically regarded as the finest of any strawberry that has been grown. Royal Sovereign is a self-fertile cultivar, which implies that only one plant is required to produce fruit.

Despite a 45% rise in cultivation in 2011, with 12,278 acre (4,969 ha) of strawberries planted, the UK still relies on planted strawberries from Spain, Israel, Morocco, and Egypt to supply the rest of the year's expanding consumer demand for unprocessed berries.

Where do most strawberries come from?

Strawberry production in the United States is significant for both fresh and frozen markets across the world. Over 75% of fresh and processed strawberries sold in wholesale marketplaces in the United States are grown in California.

Strawberry production in Florida is also significant for fresh export markets. Due to the long growing season in certain places, fruit can be harvested for six to eight months of the year. Strawberry harvest yields in California average 47,500 lb (21545 kg) per acre, with the highest-yield farms achieving 100,000 lb (45359 kg) per acre per year.

Strawberry consumption has increased at one of the fastest rates of all fruits and vegetables during the previous two decades. After bananas, apples, oranges, and grapes, strawberries are the fifth most popular fresh fruit in the United States. The strawberry crop in China is enormous and expanding quickly. According to one estimate, overall production might be around two times that of the United States. China is becoming a major player in the global strawberry industry, as it is in many other horticultural industries.

Wild strawberries are, in fact, edible and delicious. Wild strawberries are high in potassium, which may assist in improving blood pressure and minimize the risk of osteoporosis.

Where do strawberries in the USA come from?

The strawberry industry in the USA is mostly concentrated in California's southern and coastal regions. In 2017, strawberries were gathered from 43,400 acre (17,563 ha) in the United States.

Strawberries have an almost year-round commercial season in California. The marketing season of berries for all other states runs from March to November, depending on the type farmed. In 2020, the United States had 23,210 tons (21,055,758 kg) of used output worth $2,228,950. The total amount of fresh market strawberries produced was 4,510 tons (4,091,403 kg). Fresh strawberry farmer prices averaged $106 per hundred weight in 2020.

In 2017, the average strawberry species output per acre was 50,500 lb (22,906 kg), with yields ranging from 68,000 lb (30,844 kg) in California to 3,200 lb (1,451 kg) in New York. Weather differences account for the wide variety of yields in each state. California's mild environment allows for a year-round growing season, resulting in a larger output per acre than in other states.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked discovering where do strawberries come from, then why not take a look at How is powdered milk made? Know-how to make powdered milk at home? or How to cut tomatoes? Knife cutting skills for a budding chef.