Strawberries
Strawberry/Rōpere
Availability
The New Zealand strawberry season runs from around September to March.
Storage and Handling
Store in the refrigerator. Handle all fresh produce with care and wash before eating.
History
Strawberries can be traced back to the Romans and Greeks. Later medieval stonemasons carved them into altars and church pillars. In the 1700s, the French horticulturists crossed a Northern American strawberry with a Chilean one. The modern strawberry can be traced to the results of this experiment.
Facts
- The strawberry is a member of the rose family
- Each strawberry has, on average, 200 seeds on the outside
- A strawberry is not technically a berry as it has seeds on the outside. True berries, such as blueberries, have seeds on the inside
Growing Facts
- Strawberries are grown in raised beds enclosed with plastic, however, it is becoming popular to grow strawberries hydroponically (in nutrient solution rather than in soil)
- Strawberry plants can produce fruit for several years, however, the fruit quality can decline after the first year
- Strawberries will grow in most parts of New Zealand
- The Auckland region grows over 40% of the commercial strawberry crop
Nutrition Information
Strawberries are a good source of vitamin C and a source of dietary fibre, folate, potassium and niacin (vitamin B3).
You will find the full Nutrition Information Panel on the New Zealand Food Composition Data website. This website is owned jointly by Plant & Food Research and the Manatū Hauora Ministry of Health. This website holds the most comprehensive collection of high-quality nutrient data for New Zealand foods. The Database is managed and maintained by dedicated Plant & Food Research staff.
