BR35050 “Mary with Fresh Strawberries” Late 18th Century Woman with Basket

The strawberry was used as a medicinal plant by the ancient Romans. The French began taking strawberries from the forest to their gardens in the 14th century. The plants could be easily propagated asexually by cutting off the runners, which led to a higher yield, albeit still of the diminutive fruit seen in the wild. The Iroquois in North America gathered and enjoyed wild strawberries while the Mapuche and Huilliche Indians of Chile cultivated a larger, more flavorful berry. After Spanish conquest, it was ultimately a French spy who would bring the large berries back to Europe where the plants grew vigorously, but produced no fruit. Only after crossbreeding with native species and continuing experimentation did we get the beloved fruit known today.

1/30 scale