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Posted by on Nov 23, 2015 in TellMeWhy |

How Did the Strawberry Get Its Name?

How Did the Strawberry Get Its Name?

How Did the Strawberry Get Its Name? There are several possible explanations of how the strawberry got its name. The name may come from the practice of shoving straw under the borders of the plants to keep the fruit off the ground.

Another explanation is the resemblance of the fruit’s seeds to bits of straw. Some believe that English children in the 19th century would pick strawberries and string them on grass straws to sell as “straws of berries.”

But the name probably comes from the Old English word strew, meaning to scatter or spread, referring to the runners spreading outward from the plant. Originally, strew was spelled “straw,” so there is your name: berries on plants “strawed” over the ground.

Content for this question contributed by Terri Miller, resident of Porterfield, Marinette County, Wisconsin, USA