Do you like strawberries? ۔ Are you also a victim of the mystery that “Strawberry A Vegetable or Fruit”?
There is ambiguity about strawberries. Some people consider it a fruit. On the other hand, some people consider it a vegetable.
That is why the question “is a strawberry a fruit or vegetable” is often heard. In this article we will try to solve this mystery.
So is strawberry a vegetable or fruit ?
Strawberry is a fruit but it can hardly be called a fruit. We have to think a little bit technically to know this. Strawberries are definitely neither a vegetable nor a berry.
It has a specific category of its own. The accurate explanation of strawberry can be given with the help of its seed receptacle. Looking at the fruit, the seed you see is the real fruit.
The green small pods are actually called achene. The red fleshy part of the strawberry grows right in the middle of the flower.
It will be a little difficult for us to understand because, in our lives, we have considered strawberries to be a fruit. But Botany is not ready to believe us and we cannot change science.
What Would It Take for Strawberries to Be A Real Fruit ?
According to Botany, fruits are those whose seeds are inside the flesh. This means that the fleshy part is called the seed casing or receptacle. When the seed is cultivated in the ground, the plant grows from that part of the seed.
Strawberries have two parts. One is green and the other is red. The green part is hard while the red fleshy part is not protective. The red fleshy part is actually the middle part of the flower.
Strawberries are mostly hanging like apples hanging from a tree. If the strawberry is a fruit as we know it to be a fruit, then the part with the green seeds would be like a star.
If you inspect technically, you will know the truth. The green seed is actually the fruit, and if you cut it and examine it with a microscope, you can easily see the seeds.
Read also: Is Pomegranate A Citrus Fruit?
So the real strawberry fruit is very small. We can take a closer look at how strawberries mature from flower to fruit. That way we can see the facts more clearly.
How a Strawberry Goes from Flower to ‘Fruit’
Unlike other plants, the strawberry plant flowers first before reaching adulthood. The flower has a yellow center and five petals. The same yellow part also stores the seeds of the plant and they become real fruits.
As the strawberry matures, the fleshy part of it swell, and the seeds begin to come to the edges. The thin white lines that come out of the middle end up on the green seed.
If you ever learn to crossbreed strawberries, you’ll see these white fine lines moving from the middle to the edges in each seed. When the flesh is fully formed, it is still light green or white.
It ripens slowly and when ripe it turns bright red and the sun refreshes it. If you buy strawberries that are mostly red and the top is still white, it is unripe.
White strawberries are also sold, but they are completely white. So when we eat strawberries, we are eating the red fleshy part of it.
If this is news to you, you should know that the strawberries you are eating are man-made strawberries. And it’s very different from the strawberries found in the forest.
Strawberries Are Man Made
There are many fruits and vegetables that humans have made or improved upon after much research. Just as there are many types of apples and many other fruits that have undergone changes in their production, taste and texture. These changes have greatly benefited humanity.
Similarly, scientists have experimented with strawberries to make it more delicious. Modern strawberries are made with a combination of two species.
Read also: Is Celery A Fruit Or Vegetable ?
One of them is Fragaria virginiana, a species commonly found in the United States. The second type is Fragaria chiloensis.
Strawberries were widely grown in France in the 1750s. The people of France made many changes to the way it was grown and the strawberries improved its taste.
The Original wild strawberry is still found in the forests today. Originally strawberries are very small and common in forests. It is still easily found in the forests of Europe and tastes like delicious fruit.
In terms of size, it is about the size of a green olive. Growing up it is very small and squishy. The seeds are green and the strawberries are bright red.
Is Strawberry a Citrus Fruit?
Strawberries taste slightly sour, but that doesn’t mean that strawberries are a citrus fruit. Citrus fruits grow on trees, while strawberries grow plant. In addition, strawberries are an achene, instead of hesperidium.
They grow mostly in the northern latitudes. Unlike citrus fruits, they do not have much fleshy rind. That’s why they can be stored longer than citrus fruits and don’t spoil. Like citrus fruits, strawberries are rich in vitamin C and other vitamins.
Why is a Strawberry Called a Strawberry?
The answer to why Strawberry is named Strawberry is uncertain and no one has explained it correctly. But its name may be derived from the word strewn berry.
Final Thoughts
Today, strawberries have become very common and are grown in almost all countries of the world. It is a delicious fruit and its use has become very common in our lives. That’s why we don’t ask any questions about it. When it comes to taste, it’s so delicious that kids love to eat it since childhood.
Some people think it’s a berry, which is why the question “is a strawberry a berry” is often heard on the Internet. Strawberries are very different from berries. So they have a distinct identity and place in our hearts and kitchens.