Freckle Face Strawberry Fun Facts and Trivia

The strawberry is small, sweet, edible, and everywhere. Everywhere in the United States, that is. In particular, every state in the United States is known for growing strawberries. In fact, most states are also known for celebrating Strawberry Festivals during their growing season. Every province in Canada is also known for growing the small berry.

Love secrets of the strawberry:
Since it is shaped like a red heart, the strawberry has been used as the symbol for Venus, the Goddess of love.
Some believe that if you share a double strawberry with someone of the opposite sex by breaking it in half, the two of you will fall in love.
Strawberries have been considered an aphrodisiac.

Superstitious Tidbits:
The belief that a strawberry shaped birthmark is the sign of a witch led many to believe that Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of HenryVIII, was a witch.
Even today, people in Bavaria believe that little elves love strawberries. The people tie baskets of the berries to the horns of the cattle as an offering to the elves. They believe this practice will lead to healthy calves and abundant quantities of milk.

Historical Happenings:
In Shakespeare's Othello, Desdemona's handkerchief and its heart shaped strawberries symbolizes her pureness and sensuality.
Famous for bathing in gallons of strawberry juice while a member of Napoleon's court is Madame Tallien.
Cornbread mixed with strawberries originates from the American Indians.
Strawberry Shortcake originates with the American Colonists.
Strawberries are not mentioned anywhere in the bible.
Stonemasons carved strawberries as symbols of righteousness and perfection.

Fruit Facts:
The first fruit to ripen in the spring is the strawberry.
The name of the first strawberries is actually strewberries.
Most strawberries have at least 200 seeds on them.
The only fruit to contain seeds on its outside is the strawberry.
Strawberry plants are actually a member of the rose family (rosaceae).
The three major varieties of the strawberry are: June bearing, Everbearing, and day neutral.
Wild strawberries have a very strong flavor.
The overall sweetness of the strawberry is related to the weather conditions while growing.

The Growing Gamut:
California and Florida are the two top producers of strawberries in the United States.
Birds are responsible for distributing strawberry seeds everywhere.
Strawberries are indigenous to every continent except New Zealand, Australia, and Africa.
The top three inches of soil holds the roots of strawberry plants.
Not every single flower will produce a strawberry.
A strawberry will not ripen once it is picked.
Strawberries do not grow from seeds. Instead, they reproduce with long shoots of new growth.

International Names:
Hawaiian- ohelo-papa
Latin-fragaria
Portuguese- morango
Spanish- fresa
Swedish- jordgubbe

Nutritional News:
Strawberries are rich in fiber.
Strawberries are second only to blueberries when it comes to antioxidants in fruits.
Strawberries offer more Vitamin C than any other berry. Less than eight strawberries will provide more than the suggested required minimum for children.
One eight-ounce cup of strawberries is about 55 calories.
One eight-ounce cup of strawberries is about eleven grams of carbohydrates.

Medicinal Make-up:
Claims exist that the strawberry can alleviate symptoms for gout, melancholy, fevers, bad breath, inflammations, and blood diseases.
Strawberries have been cultivated in France as medicinal herbs.
The strawberry has been used in attempts to cure skin disorders, remove stains from teeth, and sunburn.

Interesting Information:
In Belgium, there is a museum all about strawberries.
The world's largest strawberry shortcake appears at every strawberry festival in Lebanon, Oregon.
California produces over one billion berries annually. Laying them side-by-side would allow them to circle the earth several times.
Technically, the strawberry is not a fruit at all. It does not grow from the ovary of the flower, but rather from the base.