why is it called a strawberry moon

Quick Scoop

It’s called the Strawberry Moon because June’s full moon was traditionally associated with the time when strawberries ripen and are ready to harvest, especially in North American Indigenous seasonal naming traditions. It does not mean the moon itself turns strawberry-colored, though it can look reddish near the horizon because of atmospheric scattering.

Why the name stuck

• The name comes from seasonal tracking, not the moon’s color.

• Different Indigenous nations had different full-moon names, and some English-language almanacs later popularized these names more widely.

• Other old names for the same full moon included ideas tied to summer abundance, like honey or rose references.

In one sentence

It’s basically a harvest-season nickname for June’s full moon.

Bottom line

If you hear “Strawberry Moon,” think “the season for strawberries,” not “a moon made of strawberries.”