Long before they became a staple on farms and in grocery stores, strawberries were wild fruits foraged by ancient peoples. Archaeological evidence shows that humans enjoyed wild strawberries (Fragaria species) in both prehistoric Europe and the Americas.

In Ancient Europe, the small but flavorful woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca) was known to the Greeks and Romans. Roman writings even mention using strawberries for medicinal purposes, from lifting mood to freshening breath.

By the Middle Ages, strawberries were more valued for their symbolic and healing properties than for their taste. They often appeared in Christian art as symbols of purity and virtue. Cultivation began around the 14th century, particularly in France.

Everything changed in the 1700s, thanks to a French military engineer/spy named Amédée-François Frézier. While on a mission to South America, he encountered the Chilean strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis), a variety with berries far larger than anything in Europe. He brought five live plants back to France in 1714, even sacrificing part of the ship’s freshwater supply to keep them alive.

However, these Chilean strawberries were all female and didn’t produce much fruit. It wasn’t until they were planted near Virginia strawberries (Fragaria virginiana), a North American species also brought to Europe, that something remarkable happened. The two varieties cross-pollinated, creating Fragaria × ananassa, the hybrid ancestor of today’s commercial strawberries. These were larger, tastier, and more resilient, and were first known as “pineapple strawberries” for their fruity aroma.

By the 1800s, this new hybrid had spread across Europe and North America. Commercial cultivation picked up speed, especially in the U.S., and by the 20th century, improvements in breeding, refrigeration, and transportation allowed strawberries to be enjoyed almost year-round.

Today, strawberries are grown on every continent except Antarctica. California leads U.S. production, growing nearly 90% of the nation’s strawberries. With hundreds of cultivars available, growers can now select for size, sweetness, shelf life, and disease resistance, making strawberries not only a consumer favorite but a grower’s success story.

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