Strawberry

Profile

Family

Rosaceae

Habit

perennial

Height

0.3 m

Spread

0.2 m

Growth

fast

Lifespan

5 years

First yield

after 1 year

Hardiness

zone 5–8

Shade tolerance

partial shade

Soil

Sand, Silt, Loam

Soil moisture

semi-dry – very moist

pH

5.5 – 7

Synonyms

Erdbeere, Erdbeeren

Planned in gardens

3×

Flowering & harvest

Times apply to the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate and shift with altitude and cultivar.

Uses

Edible: Fruit - raw. The best varieties have sweet and juicy fruits with a delightful flavor. Strawberries are a highly popular fruit, easily found during the summer season. Some varieties have fruits with a diameter of up to 3 cm. Young leaves can be eaten raw.

Growing

Requires fertile, well-drained soil with good moisture retention in a sunny spot, although it can tolerate some shade. Fruiting may decrease in partial shade. Mulching with pine or spruce needles is beneficial for strawberries. These fruits are commonly grown in moderate climates for their edible produce. Numerous cultivars exist, offering fruit from late spring to late fall. Most types flower based on day length, while 'remontants' can bear fruit all summer. Late spring frosts can harm flowering. Avoid using oat straw as mulch to prevent nematode infections. Strawberries are prone to viral diseases spread by aphids, leading to plant degeneration over time. Renewal is necessary as they do not reliably reproduce from seeds due to their hybrid nature. Strawberries thrive alongside bush beans, spinach, borage, lettuce, and pyrethrum as companion plants.

Propagation

Plant seeds early in spring in a sheltered area. It may take around four weeks for the seeds to sprout. Once the seedlings emerge, they will initially be small and grow slowly before picking up pace. Transfer them to individual pots once they are big enough, and then plant them outdoors in the summer. As this is a hybrid species, the seeds will not produce identical offspring, but this method is essential for creating new varieties. Separate the runners, ideally in July or August, to allow the plants to establish themselves for the next year's harvest. If needed, the separated plants can also be moved in the following spring, but they are unlikely to bear fruit in their first year. The runners can be directly planted in their permanent spot.

Notable

Special features: It is recommended to use a mulch of lava rocks or pine needles to maintain the fruits dry and warm, which is favored by snails. The yield is significantly higher in other countries (Spain 35t/ha, USA 50t/ha). It thrives when grown alongside bush beans, spinach, borage, lettuce, and garlic. An alternative ground cover option, which is less demanding and has healing properties, is the wild strawberry F. vesca.

Origin & habitat

A hybrid likely originating from garden cultivation, possibly a cross between F. virginiana and F. chiloensis.

In rocky riverbank habitats at elevations ranging from 1300 to 2600 meters in China. They are commonly found at dumpsites, often on brick walls.

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