Question
is a strawberry a berry
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GPT-5 mini
Short answer: Botanically, no — a strawberry is not a true berry.
Why:
- A true botanical berry develops from a single ovary of one flower and has the entire pericarp (fruit wall) fleshy. Examples of true berries: tomato, grape, banana, blueberry, and avocado.
- A strawberry is an aggregate accessory fruit. What we eat is the swollen flower receptacle (accessory tissue), and the tiny “seeds” on the surface are actually individual fruits called achenes (each contains a seed).
- Raspberries and blackberries are also not true berries; they’re aggregates of small drupelets.
Culinary vs. botanical use:
- In everyday cooking and conversation, many fruits called “berries” (strawberries, raspberries) are grouped by flavor/size rather than strict botany. Botanically, that grouping differs from the culinary one.
If you want, I can show a diagram or list more examples of botanical berries and non-berries.
Why:
- A true botanical berry develops from a single ovary of one flower and has the entire pericarp (fruit wall) fleshy. Examples of true berries: tomato, grape, banana, blueberry, and avocado.
- A strawberry is an aggregate accessory fruit. What we eat is the swollen flower receptacle (accessory tissue), and the tiny “seeds” on the surface are actually individual fruits called achenes (each contains a seed).
- Raspberries and blackberries are also not true berries; they’re aggregates of small drupelets.
Culinary vs. botanical use:
- In everyday cooking and conversation, many fruits called “berries” (strawberries, raspberries) are grouped by flavor/size rather than strict botany. Botanically, that grouping differs from the culinary one.
If you want, I can show a diagram or list more examples of botanical berries and non-berries.
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