Strawberry Pineapple - Poster 50x70cm

Fragaria grandiflora - Pineapple Strawberry

Here is one of the most mysterious strawberries of the 19th century: celebrated by all, known by few, and so often confused with its cousins from Carolina or Bath that Poiteau himself lamented its rarity around Paris.

Yet, the Pineapple Strawberry possesses an unmistakable distinguishing feature: its pedicel thickens into a club shape as it approaches the fruit, a unique botanical characteristic among all strawberry varieties.

The Pineapple strawberry plant is recognized by its compact habit, less elongated than that of the Carolina. Its short, hairy, often reddish petioles at the base, bear large oval leaflets, glaucous underneath and bluish dark green on top, bordered by rounded teeth ending in a fine reddish tip.

The floral scapes, short and hairy, produce flowers, the first of which sometimes have six or seven petals. After flowering, the fruit-bearing pedicels bend and considerably swell towards the fruit, a peculiarity unique to this species.

The fruit itself, a vivid scarlet red, is distinguished by its seeds nestled in deep indentations, rather than protruding. At full ripeness, in early June, its firm flesh and rich aroma make it a superior strawberry to the Carolina, even if the pineapple scent that gives it its name remains, according to Poiteau, "uncertain or inconstant."

This plate is taken from Pierre-Antoine Poiteau and Pierre Jean François Turpin's Traité des Arbres Fruitiers, a botanical encyclopedia published between 1807 and 1835, a major reference in 19th-century naturalistic illustration.

It combines the rigor of scientific drawing with a rare artistic sensibility, characteristic of the great plates from the golden age of illustrated botany.

• Each poster is produced using 12-color giclée printing, the benchmark for art workshops for rendering fine tones, subtle gradients, and the most delicate botanical details.
• 200 g/m² weight, soft matte finish, 0.26 mm thickness: a result close to the original engraving, clear, glare-free, designed for hanging.
• Printed on FSC certified paper, printed individually upon order.
• Shipped in a rigid protective tube.