Musk strawberry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Musk strawberry |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Fragaria
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| Species: |
moschata
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The musk strawberry (scientific name: Fragaria moschata) is a special type of strawberry. It comes from Europe. People sometimes call it the hautbois strawberry, which is a French name.
These plants are very tough. They can grow well in many different weather conditions. Farmers grow them on a small scale, especially in Italy.
Musk strawberries have small, round fruits. Chefs and food lovers really like them. This is because they have a strong, amazing smell and taste. Some people say they taste like a mix of regular strawberries, raspberries, and pineapples! Some popular types grown today are 'Capron' and 'Profumata di Tortona'.
Where Musk Strawberries Grow
Musk strawberries grow wild in some parts of Europe. You can find them in forests in Central Europe. They also grow north into Scandinavia and east into Russia.
These strawberries like to grow at the edges of forests. They need places that are moist and protected. They do not like big changes in temperature.
Growing Musk Strawberries
People have been growing musk strawberries in Europe for a very long time. One of the first named types of strawberry was a musk strawberry called Le Chapiron in 1576. Later, it was known as Capron.
In the early 1600s, a drawing of a musk strawberry with a "big fruit" appeared in a famous plant book. A gardener for King Louis XIV of France also mentioned it in 1672. By the early 1800s, musk strawberries were the most common garden strawberry in Germany.
Growing musk strawberries is much like growing other strawberries. This includes the common garden strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) or the alpine strawberry (Fragaria vesca). These plants grow best in soil that has lots of good nutrients.
However, musk strawberry plants need help to make fruit. Neither female plants nor plants that have both male and female parts can pollinate themselves. They need pollen from a different plant. Usually, insects like bees help to move the pollen.
Here are some types of musk strawberries:
- 'Capron royal' – This type has both male and female parts.
- 'Askungen' (Truedsson) – This type also has both male and female parts.
- 'Marie Charlotte' (Hans) – This type has both male and female parts.
- 'Bauwens' – This type is a female plant.
- 'Capron' – This type is a female plant.
- 'Profumata di Tortona' – This type is a female plant.
- 'Siegerland' – This type is a female plant.
- 'Cotta' – This type is a male plant.
