strawberry seeds

Strawberries are unique among fruits because they bear their seeds on the outside. In fact, the average strawberry has about 200 tiny seed-like structures dotting its surface. Interestingly, those “seeds” are actually called achenes, and each one is technically a separate fruit, with the juicy red part being an enlarged receptacle (the part of the plant that holds the ovary). This means what we commonly think of as a strawberry “fruit” isn’t a true botanical fruit at all! It’s one of nature’s clever twists—and a fun botanical fact hidden in plain sight.