Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa)

The garden strawberry, Fragaria × ananassa, arose in eighteenth-century France as a cross between a Chilean and a North American wild strawberry. In India Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra is the best-known growing area, and its strawberries carry a geographical indication tag. They are also grown in Himachal, Uttarakhand and the north-east.

Botanical name: Fragaria × ananassa (Duchesne ex Weston) Duchesne ex Rozier
Family: Rosaceae
Tamil: Strawberry
Hindi: Strawberry
Parts used: Ripe receptacle
Habit: Garden strawberry; the hybrid berry is cuisine
Last updated: 2026-10-27

How to recognise Strawberry

It is a low perennial with leaves of three toothed leaflets, spreading by long runners that root to form new plants.

Flowers are white with five petals and a yellow centre.

The red fruit is a swollen receptacle. The tiny seed-like dots on the surface are the true fruits, called achenes.

Wild woodland strawberries are much smaller and more aromatic.

Fruit is picked fully red, because strawberries do not ripen further after picking.

Traditional use of Strawberry

Kitchen

Strawberries are eaten fresh, with cream, in jams, milkshakes, ice cream and desserts.

Global food practice

Mahabaleshwar

Farmers on the Mahabaleshwar–Panchgani plateau grow strawberries in winter, and tourists visit the farms in season.

Maharashtra horticulture

Modern notes on Strawberry

Strawberries are rich in vitamin C, folate and anthocyanin pigments.

They are among the crops that most often carry pesticide residues, so washing them matters.

Strawberry safety

Wash before eating. Strawberry allergy and oral itching occur in some people.

Ecology and sourcing

Strawberries need cool nights to fruit well, so in India they are grown in winter or at altitude.

Bees pollinate the flowers, and well-pollinated flowers produce larger, evenly shaped fruit.

Plants are usually replaced every year or two from runners.

Plastic mulch is widely used in Mahabaleshwar to keep fruit clean and soil moist, which adds to plastic waste.

Related plants

Also in Rosaceae

Questions about Strawberry

Are the dots seeds?

They are the true fruits, each containing one seed.

Where are strawberries grown in India?

Mainly Mahabaleshwar, plus Himachal, Uttarakhand and the north-east.

Is Strawberry a berry?

Botanically, no; it is a swollen flower base.

When are they in season?

Roughly December to March in Mahabaleshwar.

Sources

Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.