Wild strawberries have been eaten for thousands of years, but the cultivation of them began in Europe as early as the 1300s. Wild strawberries were transplanted into gardens in France. In the 1600s colonists discovered wild strawberries in Virginia.

They are indigenous in the northern and southern hemispheres found by the seaside, woods and mountain tops. Strawberries were described in literature in A.D. 1000 and the first drawing of the plant was printed in 1484. The first mention of strawberries occurred between 234-149 B.C. in the writings of a Roman senator. The first mentions were for medical use, and it was believed that they aided in the treating of depression.

During the 12th century they were deemed unfit to eat because the plant grew close to the ground and became contaminated by reptiles that may have touched them such as snakes and toads.

Eventually, the consumption became popular and they were being sold at marketplaces in London around 1831, but were still not produced commercially. Commoners and aristocrats would have patches of strawberries in their gardens. France became the primary forerunner of strawberry production.

The name has myriad possible origins. The word straw may have been derived because it was used to mulch the plants and keep them clean. In London children would collect the berries stringing them with straw and sell them at markets as “Straws of Berries.” The Latin meaning of the fruit is known as “Fragra” or fragrant. The French, Italian and Spanish referred to the fruit as “Fraise” or fragrant berry and the Narragansett

Indians of North America called the fruit “wuttahimneash” or “heart berry.”

The berries began to be cultivated and the first hybrid, “Hudson” was grown in the U.S. in 1780. In 1843, Cincinnati, Ohio, growers were the first to ship using refrigeration by placing ice on top of the boxes for shipment.

There are more than 600 varieties of strawberries that have been cultivated from the five or six original wild species and surprisingly they are a member of the rose family. Camarosa strawberries are one of the most common with a delicate sweet flavor. The alpine strawberry is smaller in statue but bountiful in a sweet flavor. It comes in a variety of colors.

When we feast our eyes on market selections, we do not realize there are hundreds of types and the flavor and size depend on the region and amount of sunlight. The state that produces the most strawberries is California and the largest farm in the U.S. is Wish Farm on 2,100 acres with the land stretching almost four miles. The strawberry capital of the U.S. is Dickson in Galveston County, Texas.

Strawberries are rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants and has other benefits for those with insulin sensitivity and osteoarthritis. They are also low in calories and contain a substantial water content.

Below are some interesting facts about strawberries.

• The average berry has 200 seeds.
• The first fruit to ripen in the spring, Americans consume about three to four pounds in a year.
• One acre can grow about 50,000 pounds per season.
• Plants are individually hand picked every three to four days.
• The plants are perennials.
• Strawberry colors can be white, blue/purple, yellow/golden , red/pink.
• Once they begin bearing fruit they are productive for five years.
• They are sweeter at room temperature.

Live, love life and strawberries.