Within the strawberry genus, there are interesting species that give rise to fascinating varieties. Familiarize yourself with the details worth knowing here to make cultivation in the garden and on the balcony even more varied.
Species and hybrids that thrive in the home garden
In contrast to commercial strawberry cultivation, as a hobby gardener the door is wide open to the cultivation of rare species and varieties. The following listing presents the pearls within the genus.
- Scarlet Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana): a parent plant of the cultivated strawberry, large fruits, ideal for preserving
- Chilean Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis): the other parent, also thrives in sandy soil
- Musk or cinnamon strawberry (Fragaria moschata): it was the most common strawberry in the garden in the past
- Cracking strawberry (Fragaria viridis): a cracking sound can be heard when the tart fruits are harvested
Three strawberry species head the genus
Within the approximately 20 species within the strawberry genus, German gardeners are particularly fond of the following 3 candidates:
- Pineapple Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa): Considered the premier cultivated strawberry with countless, delicious varieties
- Vescana strawberry (Fragaria x vescana): the successful hybrid of wild and garden strawberries with a long lifespan
- Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca): known as the monthly strawberry, the best species for containers and flower boxes
From this system it can be seen that the popular garden strawberry does not come from the native wild strawberry. It was bred in the Netherlands; her parent plants, however, originate from the American continent.
A berry that isn't
In addition to the wide range of species, the strawberry genus has other interesting sides to offer. As a member of the rose family (Rosaceae), real berries do not thrive on strawberry plants, but rather aggregate fruits. In contrast to raspberries or currants, the seeds are not in the flesh, but on top.
Precisely defined, the yellow grains are the actual fruit in the form of nuts. What tastes so tempting is the juicy red base of the flower.
tips and tricks
Within the complex strawberry species, the musk strawberry is particularly impressive with its rarity status. Its deep, dark fruits exude an intoxicating scent in the garden, reminiscent of fresh strawberry cake with vanilla cream. The old variety 'Schöne Wienerin' was recently rediscovered and is ideal for cultivation in beds and on the balcony.