Strawberry Rainbow Treasure F1 Mix - Fragaria ananassa

The Rainbow Treasure F1 Strawberry is a perpetual hybrid variety that will delight fans of unusual plants. This original cultivar exhibits remarkable productivity, vigor, and disease resistance. Particularly suited for container and hanging basket cultivation, it forms dense clumps from which long trailing stems emerge, bearing a multitude of multicolored flowers and fruits from early spring to early autumn. Graduating from shades of pink to white, the flowers and pale yellow to dark red fruits coexist on the same plant. This strawberry will brighten up balconies and prove most useful in the kitchen.

Strawberries are perennial plants belonging to the Rosaceae family. Known throughout Europe since ancient times, they naturally grow in the undergrowth of temperate regions. However, most of the juicy strawberries cultivated in our gardens are hybrids derived from a species native to Chile and brought back by the navigator Amédé François Frézier. In fact, there are several species of strawberries, the main ones being: the Fragaria vesca or Wood Strawberry, known for producing particularly fragrant small fruits; the Fragaria moschata or Musk Strawberry; the Fragaria viridis or Green Strawberry – also known as Valley Strawberry – less interesting due to the acidity of its fruits; and finally, the Fragaria chiloensis or Chilean Strawberry. These are wild strawberries. The strawberries cultivated for their large fruits are almost all derived from the Fragaria x Ananassa species, resulting from the cross between Fragaria chiloensis and Fragaria virginiana, another American species.

The Rainbow Treasure F1 Strawberry forms a beautiful clump that can reach 30 cm (12in) in height and 40 cm (16in) in width. The evergreen leaves are trifoliate, obovate, well-dentate, and form dark green rosettes. Its abundant and prolonged flowering begins in April or May, depending on the region, and continues until summer. It consists of multiple small flowers that transition from dark pink to pale pink and almost white around a golden center. Each flower transforms into a moderately-sized, conical fruit that turns dark red when ripe. Their flavor is sweet and juicy. Botanically speaking, strawberries are considered pseudocarps, with the achenes (seeds) protruding from the epidermis.

Strawberries have a delicate flavor characterized by a sweet and fruity aroma, sometimes with a slight acidic note in the background. Non-remontant varieties flower only once in spring, while remontant varieties can flower twice a year or even continuously from spring to autumn. Strawberries are rich in vitamins B8 and B9, very rich in vitamins C and E, and contain provitamin A. They are considered remineralizing and purifying. It should be noted that strawberries can cause skin irritation for some people, as they stimulate the release of histamine in the body.

Harvesting: Pick the fruits as they ripen on the plants. Strawberries are delicate, so pick them with their peduncle by pinching the stem 1 to 2 cm (0 to 1in) above it. The texture of the fruit is a good indicator of its ripeness. It should be firm and yield slightly to pressure.

Storage: Strawberries are best consumed raw, simply with cream or as a topping for tarts. They can be stored for about a week in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator. If they have been bruised or scratched, they will not keep as long. If you have a large harvest, make jams, marmalades, compotes, or preserves in syrup. You can also dry them in the oven after slicing them into thin strips, at least 1 mm (0in) thick, to add to your muesli. Lastly, strawberries freeze very well.

Gardening tip: Strawberry plants are good companions for garlic, beans, lettuce, onions, leeks, thyme, and spinach. However, they do not appreciate the company of cabbage and other brassicas.