The garden strawberry, or simply Fragaria Ananassa, is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus Fragaria (collectively known as the strawberries). It is cultivated worldwide for its fruit, widely appreciated for its characteristic aroma, bright red color, juicy texture and sweetness. The garden strawberry was first bred in Brittany, France, in the 1750s via a cross of Fragaria Virginiana from eastern North America and Fragaria Chiloensis, which was brought from Chile by Amedee-Francois Frezier in 1714. Cultivars of Fragaria Ananassa have replaced, in commercial production, the woodland strawberry, which was the first strawberry species cultivated in the early 17th century. Technically, the strawberry is an aggregate accessory fruit, meaning that the fleshy part is derived not from the plant's ovaries but from the receptacle that holds the ovaries. Each apparent seed (achene) on the outside of the fruit is actually one of the ovaries of the flower, with a seed inside it.
- The strawberry fruit was mentioned in ancient Roman literature in reference to its medicinal use, the entire strawberry plant was used to treat depressive illnesses.
- The French began taking the strawberry from the forest to their gardens for harvest in the 1300s. Charles V, France's king from 1364 to 1380, had 1200 strawberry plants in his royal garden.
- In the early 1400s, western European monks were using the wild strawberry in their illuminated manuscripts.
- In addition to being consumed fresh, strawberries can be frozen, made into preserves, and dried and used in prepared foods. Strawberries and strawberry flavorings are a popular addition to dairy products, and Strawberries & Cream is a popular dessert famously consumed at Wimbledon. Not to mention the list of pies that can be made with strawberries.
- In Sweden, strawberries are a traditional dessert served on Midsummer Eve. In Greece, they are usually sprinkled with sugar then dipped in Metaxa, a famous brandy, and served as a dessert. In Italy, strawberries have been used for various desserts and as a popular flavoring for gelato.
- Strawberry pigment extract can be used as a natural acid/base indicator due to the different color of the conjugate acid and conjugate base of the pigment.
- Sweetness, fragrance and complex flavor are consistent favorable attributes of the ideal strawberry experience. In plant breeding and manufacturing, emphasis is placed on sugars, acids and volatile compounds, as these characteristics are primary sensory factors for taste and olfaction of a ripe strawberry to elicit the greatest sensory and hedonic response from consumers. Esters, terpenes and furans are chemical compounds having the strongest relationships to strawberry flavor and fragrance, with a total of 31 volatile compounds significantly correlated to intensity.
- Worldwide production in 2011 was 4,594,539 tons!