6 named cultivars

fruit vegetableN. America Native

Strawberry

The Story

Plant Bio

Fragaria x ananassa, the garden strawberry, is a low clumping perennial raised in eighteenth-century France by crossing a North American species with a Chilean one. Trifoliate dark green leaves form a mound six to twelve inches high, white saucer-shaped flowers open in spring, and the plant spreads by running stems that root where they touch.

Plants crop heavily for two or three years and then decline sharply, so keep the cycle going by rooting runners into pots each summer and replacing the oldest plants. In the first season, cut runners off instead: the plant puts everything into fruit rather than into offspring, and the first crop is noticeably bigger for it.

Uses & Benefits:

Neat trifoliate foliage, white spring flowers and bright red fruit on a low mounding plant.

The most productive fruit crop available in a small space, and easy to grow in containers.

The flowers support pollinators including a specialist mining bee associated with the genus.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Fruit Vegetable

Height

12 inches

Width

18 inches

Light

Full Sun, Partial Sun

Zones

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Water

Moderate

Humidity

Moderate

Lifespan

Perennial

Native To

Hybrid of North American and Chilean species

Toxicity

Edible fruit

Planting

How to Grow

Plant in full sun in rich, free-draining soil.
Set the crown level with the surface, never buried.
Remove runners in the first season for a bigger crop.
Mulch with straw as the fruit begins to swell.
Net the bed before the berries start to colour.
Root runners each summer to replace three-year-old plants.

Pro Tip

Straw under the trusses keeps fruit off wet soil, which is what stops most grey mould before it starts.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Plant with the crown at soil level 🌱
Mulch with straw before fruiting 🌾
Net against birds early 🐦
Replace plants every three years 🔁

Don't

Bury the crown when planting ❌
Let fruit sit on wet bare soil ❌
Keep the same plants indefinitely ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Mulch
Propagate

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Productive fruit bed or raised bedEdging along a sunny pathContainers, hanging baskets and towers

Companion Plants

Borage Chives Lettuce Marigold Thyme

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Strawberry questions

What zones can Strawberry grow in?

Strawberry is hardy in USDA Zones 4–9. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Strawberry deer resistant?

Not reliably. Deer may browse Strawberry, especially tender spring growth — plan on repellents or fencing where pressure is high.

When does Strawberry bloom?

Strawberry typically blooms in spring through early summer. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Strawberry need full sun?

Strawberry does best in full sun to part shade. In hot climates, afternoon shade keeps blooms fresher longer.