Genus: Fragaria
Species: More than one that is important; vesca (the Alpine berry), virginiana (Wild Eastern US), & chiloensis (Pacific Coast Native)
Family: Rosaceae
Most modern varieties of strawberries are hybrids from species chiloensis.
Growing Organic Strawberries can be as simple as letting a patch go wild or as complex as building a 4 tier system for maximum yield.
When picked at the peak of ripeness, these little gems are pure deliciousness, unlike any store-bought berry, red straight thru!
In the Landscape
Strawberry plants make a beautiful ground cover or
border in the ornamental garden. They also make great container plants or hanging baskets for the deck & porch.
In the Kitchen
Strawberries make sweet desserts but also add a little sweet to salads.
They do have a short shelf life, even in the frig. Don’t let any berries go bad, just quickly make a cooked puree with a little sugar & instantly preserve the freshness. We use strawberry puree as a jump off point to many strawberry recipes.
Cook the puree down a little more with some more sugar and you have strawberry jam.
Add some flavoring like lemongrass & Cointreau & you have an Ultimate Strawberry Jam.