Let’s take a look at whether or not strawberries are actually berries, based on the botanical and culinary definitions.
The fascinating world of plants comes to life as a science teacher answers the question, “Is a strawberry a berry?”
Note: This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Strawberries are well-loved for the juicy red flesh, bursting with sweetness at their warm-weather peak.
Known for its health benefits and delicious flavor, it’s one of the most popular fresh fruits around!
A legend states that the name of the strawberry comes from the practice of using a straw to protect the growing plant while the simple fleshy fruit ripens.
This is just one theory of the origin of the name, but does it mean that the name is a misnomer?
Although it doesn’t really matter (because if you love strawberries, you love them no matter what!), sometimes being curious is a good thing. 🙂 As a science teacher, I always welcome curiosity!
In culinary terms, the strawberry is known to be a part of the berry family, along with blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, and more.
But is a strawberry actually a berry, in the botanical sense of the word? Let’s find out!
We’ve already looked at whether a strawberry is a fruit or a vegetable, so now let’s dig a little deeper.
What Makes a Berry a Berry?
First, it’s helpful to consider the botanical definition of a berry.
In botanical terms, a berry has three distinct fleshy layers: the exocarp (the outer skin, peel, or fuzz that serves as a protective structure), mesocarp (the fleshy middle inside of the fruit) and endocarp (the innermost part, which holds the seeds).
Take a lemon, for example. As I share in my article that answers the question, “Is a lemon a fruit or a vegetable,” we look at the parts of the fruit itself.
The outermost peel of the lemon is the exocarp, while its white rind just beneath the peel is considered the mesocarp, and the fleshy insides holding the seeds are considered the endocarp (so yes, lemons are botanically a berry).
Not only that, but in order to be considered a berry, the fruit should contain two or more seeds and develop from one flower that has one ovary.
Are Strawberries Really Berries?
Now that we know the technical definition of a berry and the three parts that are required for categorization as a berry (exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp), let’s consider the fruit at hand.
Strawberries don’t have these structures and therefore are not categorized as berries in botanical terms.
Not only that, but strawberry flowers have multiple ovaries, and the red strawberry flesh merely holds the seeds.
So no, strawberries are not truly considered berries–they are accessory fruits, or more technically, a strawberry is an accessory aggregate fruit.
This means each of the many ovaries of the single strawberry flower (rather than a single ovary of a single flower) produce an achene, which is the actual fruit that contains the strawberry seed. This makes them aggregate fruits.
A strawberry isn’t the only fruit that doesn’t fit the bill–raspberries and blackberries don’t meet the criteria for the botanical definition of berries, either!
However, both cranberries and blueberries are each an example of a true berry, since they have thin skin and their seeds are on the inside.
Other Surprising Facts About Berries
Strawberries are categorized into the genus “Fragaria,” which derives from a Latin word that means “fragrant.”
This genus, in the rose family, includes around 20 species of hybrids and cultivars of flowering strawberry plants, including wild strawberries (such as Fragaria virginiana, the wild Virginia strawberry).
Here are some more fun facts about berries:
- Strawberries may not technically be berries, but many other simple fruits are! Grapes, chili peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, bananas, avocados, and eggplants are all true berries!
- While many berries are edible, others, such as deadly nightshade and pokeweed, are dangerous to humans. Still others, including the white mulberry, red mulberry, and elderberry, are toxic while unripe (but edible when fully mature).
- The berry business varies per nation, as do the sorts of berries grown or picked in the wild. Some popular fruits, like cranberries and blueberries, have been cultivated for hundreds of years and are different from their wild counterparts. Others, like lingonberries and cloudberries, grow nearly entirely in the wild.
- The term “berry” is derived from the word in old English “berie,” which originally meant “grape.” With the expansion of the English language to the Americas, numerous natural grape-shaped fruits growing in bunches became tagged with the berry suffix. These included blueberry, cranberries, and elderberry.
Whether or Not Strawberries are Berries
There is a clear difference between the scientific classification of strawberries and the way we perceive them in everyday life.
We tend to regard anything sweet that is used in a dessert as fruit, and anything used in a salad as a vegetable.
When we consider how a botanist may categorize a berry, it’s important that we recognize the distinction between the botanical term and our common usage.
And you can bet we won’t be making a berry pie with cucumbers, even if they technically qualify as berries!
Whether a strawberry is a berry or not, we’re still going to enjoy them as often as possible!
Delicious Strawberry Recipes: