Strawberry - Rosaceae family, genus of herbaceous plants, flowering, dicotyledonous

Strawberry and strawberries - elegant, healthy and aromatic berries. Sweets are prepared from them - jam, jam, compotes, desserts. But the berry that is called a strawberry, in fact, is not one. How to understand botanical features? What is the difference between wild strawberries and strawberries?

Content:

1. What plants are in the strawberry family?
2. Description of representatives, characteristics of fruiting
3. History of the garden berry
4. How to distinguish true strawberries from garden strawberries
5. Composition and beneficial properties

What plants are in the strawberry family?

Strawberries and wild strawberries, whose family is actually called Rosaceae, belong to the genus Strawberry. Translated from Latin, the name of the genus is translated as fragrant, aromatic. The group has over thirty representatives. This family includes the following plants.

Wild strawberry

This includes berries growing in forest belts and meadows.

True strawberry

There are wild and cultivated species. In fact, real strawberries are quite rare.

Garden strawberries

It is this plant that we most often eat, called strawberries. Garden varieties include remontant, pineapple and many other varieties.

From a botanical point of view, scientists call strawberries a false berry or achene, since the fruits are covered with seeds on the outside, which is not typical for berries.

Essentially, this is an overgrown receptacle.Among consumers, the concept of “berry” has taken root behind the plant.

Description of representatives, characteristics of fruiting

Each type of family has certain characteristics. Let's look at the most common representatives.

Lugovaya

In old Europe, these plants were used to decorate gardens or grow them for medicinal purposes. Cultivation occurred only in the 16th century.

Strawberries meadow is exactly that fragrant berry that is found on the edges, meadows, forest clearings and slopes. Widely distributed in our latitudes, Europe and America, also known as forest.

The plant is a small perennial herbaceous bush no more than 15 cm high with an erect stem. The dark green leaves are pubescent and have a trifoliate shape. The lower leaves are glaucous and collected in a basal rosette.

The flowers are white, collected in inflorescences of several pieces. Flowering time is in May-June, and fruit ripening is in June-July. The berries have a delicate sweet taste, an unforgettable aroma and a lot of useful properties.

Despite the sweetness and fragrantness, the fruits of the plant are not particularly popular due to their small size. To get the desired amount, you have to spend too much time collecting.

Sadovaya

Talking about strawberries, we often do not suspect that we are actually talking about garden strawberries. This is the kind of berry that is widely cultivated in our area. The berry is also often called Victoria, because one of the most common varieties with large fruits has this name.

The bush of a garden plant is much more massive than that of a forest representative. The leaves are large and dark. The flowers are self-fertile, which allows for large yields.

Selected varieties are not afraid of frosty winters and spring frosts. The berries are juicy, with delicate pulp and, due to this, low transportability.

Real strawberry

The plant is actually cultivated very rarely. More likely to be found in the wild. It grows in the south of Russia and Ukraine, in European and Central Asian countries, and Kazakhstan.

The name comes from the word “tangle”, since the shape resembles small balls. Strawberries contain fructose, organic acids, vitamins and microelements. In addition, its taste qualities are superior to those of related species, however, it is not popular among gardeners. Why is this happening?

Flowers of the true strawberries of the same sex - female or male, while among their brethren they are self-fertile. Only female specimens produce ovaries.

As a result, the yield is reduced by half. In addition, the plant is demanding on growing conditions. Real strawberries are grown on farms in the UK, Germany and France.

History of the garden berry

France is the birthplace of the plant. The garden berry appeared thanks to the work of breeders. Were crossed strawberries Chilean and Virginia are South American varieties. The history of crossing is quite interesting.

Captain Frezier followed from Chile home to his native France, acquiring with him several bushes of plants with large fruits. Despite the long voyage of six months, the plant survived and continued to develop. Upon arrival, Frezier presented the bushes to various people, after which the strawberries were placed in the Paris Botanical Garden.

Since all the bushes were female, they never produced fruit. However, they continued to reproduce using antennae. Botanists continued to observe the plant.One of the specimens settled in the Versailles Park. Next door lived a Virginia bush strawberries male. This is how pollination and the creation of a large-fruited berry occurred.

The brainchild took the best qualities from its predecessors - large fruit sizes and a sweet, rich taste. The plant has gained unprecedented popularity. Until now, scientists are developing more and more new varieties.

How to distinguish true strawberries from garden strawberries

True strawberry and garden strawberries have noticeable differences. Let's look at them in more detail:

Fruiting

Garden strawberry flowers, unlike strawberries, are bisexual and self-fertile. This means that berries are produced from each flower, and the harvest is twice as large.

Appearance

The strawberry bush is taller and more powerful, and the leaves are corrugated, light green in color. Strawberries have berries hidden under the leaves, while strawberries rise above them. The fruits of real strawberries are smaller than those of garden strawberries. strawberries, are poorly separated from the receptacle and can be of different colors - red, burgundy, purple.

Taste qualities

According to most, strawberries have a sweeter taste and an interesting aroma. Thanks to this, some gardeners cultivate it despite the difficulties of cultivation.

Strawberries And strawberry, the difference of which is undeniable, at the same time similar and different plants. Each of them has its own merits.

Composition and beneficial properties

Both types of berries are rich in vital elements. The fruits are recommended for consumption by children and adults. Wild strawberries are considered especially valuable, the beneficial properties of which are countless. It contains the maximum amount of ascorbic acid. However, this berry is not easy to obtain. The varieties of garden plants are famous for their equally rich composition.

Fragrant fruits contain B vitamins, folic acid, pectins, fiber, organic acids, and microelements. The fruits contain a large amount of vitamin C.

Eating this product has a beneficial effect on the body:

• Improves the condition of the skin, fights eczema.
• Juice strawberries effective for cholelithiasis.
• Increases hemoglobin levels and prevents the occurrence of anemia.
• Activates metabolism and is used for dietary and sugar-lowering purposes.
• Helps with heart diseases, cleanses and strengthens the walls of blood vessels.
• Has an antimicrobial effect against intestinal, viral infections, and influenza.
• Positively affects the functioning of the thyroid gland.
• It has a diuretic effect and cleanses the kidneys.

Face masks made from ripe fruits tighten pores, whiten and moisturize the skin. In the absence of an allergic reaction, you can carry out strawberry fasting days. To activate metabolic processes, eat a handful of fruits before meals.

Eating berries is refreshing and uplifting.

Strawberry and strawberries – tasty and healthy fruits, no matter what name we call them, they will not become less loved. Doctors recommend eating as many fresh fruits as possible during the season. The product is prepared for the winter in different ways.

Let's watch a video about strawberries, strawberries, the best varieties of tasty and healthy berries: