Several red strawberry fruits alongside smaller green unripe ones

Fragaria × ananassa

Garden strawberry

Family: Rosaceae

Other common names: فراولة الحديقة (Arabic), mumulas (Bunun), 草莓 (Chinese Simplified, Traditional), jahodník zahradní (Czech), have-jordbær × spansk jordbær (Danish), aedmaasikas (Estonian), puutarhamansikka (Finnish), fraisier ananas (French) ananas-erdbeere (German), 'Ōhelo-papa (Hawaiian), תות שדה (Hebrew), fragola coltivata (Italian), イチゴ (Japanese), 딸기 (Korean), dārza zemene (Latvian), lielogu zemene (Latvian), daržinė braškė (Lithuanian), poziomka truskawka (Polish), Земляника ананасная (Russian), jahoda ananásová (Slovak), fresibaya (Spanish), jordgubbe (Swedish), Полуниці садові (Ukrainian)

IUCN Red List status: Not Evaluated

Plant description

Garden strawberries can differ depending on variety. Generally, they are a semi-evergreen plant that spreads out on long stems called runners. The leaves are green, with jagged edges and made up of three smaller leaflets. The flowers are small, white, and have five petals with a yellow centre. The flowers appear in spring, and if pollinated, will turn into red, teardrop-shaped fruit.

Read the scientific profile for the garden strawberry

Four white flowers growing in green leaves — Garden strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) flowers and leaves, T. Kebert on Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

The flesh of a strawberry fruit showing the yellow seed-like structures — Garden strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) achenes, Ivar Leidus on Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

A cluster of green strawberries growing on long runners — Garden strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) unripe fruits, S.G.S on Wikimedia Commons CC0

Plant uses

Beauty and cosmetics

Strawberry scent is used as an ingredient in soaps and shampoos.

Food and drink

Strawberries are turned into preserves like jam, made into sauces and syrups, and used as fillings in pies, tarts and cakes.

Strawberries and cream are famously served at the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

Health

Strawberries are a good source of both vitamin C and manganese.

Did you know?

The scientific name of the strawberry genus, Fragaria, refers to the distinctive smell of the fruit.
The specific hybrid name ananassa means ‘pineapple’, in reference to the smell, taste and shape of the strawberry fruit.
The common name ‘strawberry’ possibly comes from the runners of the plant causing the fruits to be ‘strewn’ about the place.

Where in the world?

A map of the world showing where garden strawberries are native and introduced to

Native: British Columbia, California, Oregon, Washington

Introduced: Albania, Baltic States, Belarus, Central European Rus, Denmark, East European Russia, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, Honduras, Illinois, Inner Mongolia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, New York, North European Russi, Northwest European R, Norway, Pitcairn Is., South European Russi, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vermont

Habitat:

Cultivated in gardens across the world, can survive relatively cold winters and warm summers across Europe.