Strawberries, the cherished red gems of gardens, come in a breathtaking array of types and varieties, each boasting unique characteristics and qualities. June-bearing strawberries like 'Allstar', 'Honeoye', and 'Chandler' are popular for their large, concentrated harvests in late spring or early summer.
Meanwhile, Everbearing strawberries such as 'Albion' and 'Ozark Beauty' present the appeal of two to three harvests interspersed throughout the growing season, providing strawberry lovers with fresh fruit from spring to fall. Advancements in horticulture have given us Day-neutral strawberries, with varieties like 'Seascape' and 'Monterey' capable of bearing fruit all season long, undeterred by the length of daylight hours. Wild strawberries, for instance, the Fragaria Vesca or Alpine strawberry, transport us back to nature with their intense, untamed flavors embedded in tiny fruits.
Finally, Hybrid strawberries like the French 'Mara des Bois' or the unique 'Pineberry', meticulously bred for the perfect balance of size, taste, disease resistance, and adaptability, stand as a testament to the pursuit of strawberry perfection. The variety of strawberries available caters to diverse tastes, growing conditions, and culinary uses, making the world of strawberries as rich and diverse as the berries themselves.
Providing they are fertilized regularly, these typically produce two to three harvests of fruit intermittently during the spring, summer, and fall. Examples include:
Albion: This variety is popular for its large, firm, and very sweet berries. It's disease-resistant, making it a great choice for many home gardeners.
Eversweet: As the name suggests, this strawberry variety is well known for its sweet taste. It performs exceptionally well in hot climates.
Ozark Beauty: This variety produces a large yield and is known for its sweet flavor. It's a great choice for both fresh eating and freezing.
Quinault: A versatile variety, Quinault strawberries are large and soft with a sweet taste. They can grow in a variety of soil types and can also be grown in pots.
Fort Laramie: This variety is known for being extremely hardy and can survive harsh winters. It produces sweet, large-sized berries.
Seascape: Seascape strawberries produce large berries with a nice flavor. They do well in many different climates and can produce a steady crop from spring until fall.
Mara des Bois: A day-neutral type that produces small to medium berries with intense, sweet flavor reminiscent of wild strawberries.
San Andreas: Similar to Albion, this variety is known for its high yield, large fruit size, and high-quality taste.
Selva: This variety is known for being disease resistant and producing large fruits. Selva strawberries are typically very sweet and flavorful.
Tribute: This variety produces medium-sized, firm fruits. Tribute strawberries are often used in baking due to their firmness.
These are the most commonly grown type of strawberries and typically produce a single large harvest in a 2-3 week period in the spring. They are categorized into early, mid, and late season varieties depending on when they bear fruit. Examples include:
Allstar: This variety is known for its large, sweet berries. They have a high yield and resist many diseases.
Chandler: Chandler strawberries produce large, bright red berries. They are very flavorful and are excellent for both fresh eating and freezing.
Earliglow: This variety is known for its sweet flavor and early harvest. It's one of the first to produce berries in the season.
Honeoye: A versatile variety, Honeoye strawberries are known for their sweetness and are great for fresh eating and freezing. They grow well in a wide range of soils.
Surecrop: Surecrop strawberries are very hardy and disease resistant. They produce a consistent crop year after year.
Sparkle: Known for its excellent flavor, Sparkle strawberries are often used for making preserves and are great for freezing.
Jewel: Jewel strawberries produce large, high-quality berries that are great for fresh eating, freezing, and processing.
Cabot: Noted for its exceptionally large fruits and high yields, Cabot is a favorite of home gardeners.
Northeaster: This variety is known for very large, flavorful berries. It's a vigorous and very productive plant.
Cavendish: This variety is known for its productivity and disease resistance. Cavendish strawberries have a strong and sweet flavor.
These strawberries are capable of producing fruit throughout the growing season. Examples include:.
Albion: Known for their large, firm, and sweet berries, they are disease-resistant and have a long harvest season.
Evie 2: This variety produces large, sweet berries and is highly productive.
Seascape: This variety is known for its large, flavorful berries. They are great for container gardening and do well in many different climates.
Monterey: It produces large, well-flavored berries and is less sensitive to changes in day length, allowing it to fruit for a longer season.
San Andreas: This variety is similar to Albion in many ways but often has a slightly earlier peak production period.
Portola: This variety is known for its high productivity and large, bright orange-red fruit.
Mara des Bois: A gourmet French variety that produces small to medium berries with a sweet flavor that is reminiscent of wild strawberries.
Aromas: This variety produces large, firm fruit with a very good flavor and is known for its high productivity.
Diamante: This variety is known for producing large, firm, flavorful berries, and it does well in a variety of soil types.
These are smaller strawberries that are often more flavorful than the larger cultivated types. Examples include:
Fragaria Vesca (Alpine Strawberry): This variety produces small, aromatic fruits that are packed with flavor. They are also called woodland strawberries.
Fragaria Virginiana (Wild American Strawberry): This is a North American variety that produces small fruits with a sweet flavor.
Fragaria Chiloensis (Beach Strawberry): Native to the western coast of North and South America, this variety grows along beaches and produces small, flavorful fruits.
Fragaria Nubicola (Himalayan Strawberry): Native to the Himalayas, this variety produces small, tart fruits.
Fragaria Moschata (Musk Strawberry): This European variety is known for its unique musky flavor.
Fragaria Ananassa (European Wild Strawberry): This is the wild strawberry species that is the ancestor of most modern cultivated strawberries.
Fragaria Iinumae (Japanese Wild Strawberry): Native to Japan and eastern Russia, this variety is adapted to cooler climates.
Fragaria Nilgerrensis (Indian Wild Strawberry): This species is native to South Asia and produces small, tart fruits.
There are also hybrid varieties that have been bred for specific traits like disease resistance, flavor, or suitability to certain climates. Examples include:
Mara des Bois: This French hybrid is known for producing small to medium berries with a sweet flavor that is reminiscent of wild strawberries.
Pineberry: A hybrid strawberry with white to pale pink fruit and red seeds, Pineberry has a flavor somewhat reminiscent of pineapple.
Sonata: This hybrid variety is known for its good flavor, disease resistance, and reliable yield.
Elsanta: One of the most widely grown hybrid strawberries in Europe, Elsanta is known for its good flavor and firm, bright red fruits.
Fragoo Pink or Fragoo Red: These hybrid strawberries produce pink or red flowers, unlike most strawberries, which have white flowers.
Monterey: Known for producing large, well-flavored berries. It is a day-neutral variety and less sensitive to changes in day length, allowing it to fruit for a longer season.
Flavorfest: This variety, developed by the USDA, is known for its high yield, disease resistance, and excellent flavor.
San Andreas: This variety is similar to Albion but often has a slightly earlier peak production period. It is known for its high productivity and large, sweet berries.
Diamante: Known for its large, firm, flavorful berries, this hybrid variety does well in a variety of soil types.
Selva: This everbearing hybrid is known for its disease resistance and large fruits that are typically very sweet and flavorful.
