Are strawberries a flower or a fruit?

There are often heated debates whether various produce is considered a fruit or vegetable (take the eggplant or aubergine for instance).

However, I've always considered strawberries to be a fruit. My parents used to grow strawberries in their backyard and I remember the onset of summer where the plants would produce small white flowers which in turn matured to become succulently sweet, red strawberries.

The question arises if it starts it's lifecycle as a flower then shouldn't it be classed as a flower and not a fruit.

I go with the analogy that a butterfly is the by product and mature status of a pupae and so strawberries are the edible fruit from the flowers. One makes the other but is not necessarily the same thing.

by Annalisa Brown

Great answer Annalisa!

I would consider strawberries to be a fruit. And one of the most delicious ones at that!

by Matteo Lor

I believe that strawberries are a flower not a fruit.

by Road Runner

If Strawberries are a flower as "Road Runner" believes then apples, oranges, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines and other fruits are then flowers. Fruit of any plant is the mature product of a fertilized flower. Strawberries are definitely FRUIT!

by sagea