The species was probably first cultivated by the Romans. Archeologists have found seeds dating from Neolithic, Roman and medieval remains.
It was probably first domesticated in Belgium, France and Germany in the 15th to 17th centuries.
In 1714, a Frenchman named Amedee Francois Frezier returned from duty in Peru and Chile with five plants of Fragaria chiloensis, a large-fruited species native to coastal areas of South America.
He introduced the species into garden in Brest France where F. virginiana was being cultivated. Chance hybridization occurred, and soon the strawberry industry was borne.
French botanist Antoine Duchesne published a book in 1766 detailing the origin of the pineapple strawberry.
Amateur breeders in Europe made controlled crosses and selected several cultivars that finally made their way to United States.
Native American strawberries were enjoyed by early settlers in the eastern United States and in the early 1800s, Fragaria x ananassa cultivars were brought to America from Europe. The ‘x’ denotes a hybrid origin.
Until about 1850, which is when commercial cultivation began, early settlers relied on native species and plants imported from Europe.
At present, the garden strawberry is by far the most important strawberry, it is grown extensively in temperature and subtropical countries.
History of strawberry
