Even though National Strawberry Month doesn’t officially start until May, National Strawberry Day is a good way to get a jump on the festivities. This holiday falls on February 27th every year and gives everyone the opportunity to enjoy a fruit that has been cultivated by humans since the Middle Ages and can be found in dishes all around the world.

The History of National Strawberry Day

National Strawberry Day was started by the grocery industry in 2013. Why they chose this day in February as the day to host this holiday is beyond anyone’s comprehension, however. After all, National Strawberry Month isn’t until May, and most of the South’s strawberry harvest is in late April or May. Despite these facts, however, people can still celebrate this holiday thanks to strawberries imported from Mexico and South America.

The History of the Strawberry

We can’t discuss National Strawberry Day without first taking the time to acknowledge the rich history of this fruit. Although humans have enjoyed wild strawberries for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, it wasn’t until the 14th century that the French started growing them. They would take wild strawberries from the forest and slowly introduce them into their gardens. By the 16th century, the strawberry had traveled around Europe.

Fun Facts About Strawberries

Now that we’ve uncovered not only the history of this holiday but also the history of the strawberry, it’s time to learn some fun facts about these fruits. Below are some things that most people won’t know about strawberries—trivia that makes National Strawberry Day a lot more interesting to celebrate.

• Strawberries are one of the first fruits to ripen during the spring.
• A strawberry’s flavor can be influenced by weather and how ripe it is when it’s harvested.
• During a typical harvest time in California, 10 million baskets of strawberries are shipped each day.
• Almost 95% of American households consume strawberries in some form.
• Although some people think that strawberries are berries, they’re actually aggregate fruits.
• Americans consume approximately 2 pounds of strawberries per person a year.
• An average strawberry has over two hundred seeds.
• The perfect growing temperature for strawberries is somewhere between 54 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In California, 23,000 acres of strawberries are planted every year.
• Almost three-quarters of the entire U.S. strawberry crop is produced in California.
• Florida is the number two producer of strawberries in the United States.
• Florida plants over 5,000 acres of strawberries every year.

Celebrating National Strawberry Day

This holiday is quite easy to celebrate as all it requires is for participants to use strawberries in some way during the course of the day. This can include enjoying a bowl of strawberries with some sugar, having a strawberry pie, or enjoying some strawberry shortcake. And while a person is enjoying strawberries on this day, they can announce their activities to the world using the hashtag #NationalStrawberryDay.