Several years ago one of my design clients offered me some white alpine strawberries (Frageria vesca var. albocarpa) from her garden. These small creamy white berries have a distinct taste, much like the candy Sweetarts. She told me wild birds don’t bother with them since they are white and look unripe to wildlife. Since then, I have been on the hunt for these little babies to grow in my own garden. So this spring I found them, both as seed and in 4″ pots, so I tried both. The seeds were a limited success – inconsistent germination, but I got a couple of nice healthy plants growing. The 4″ pots were pricy but are thriving and have been fruiting non-stop since late spring. These plants produce runners unlike some other alpine strawberries making it a great groundcover, but prefer the soil on the moist side, so they are not recommended for hot regions.
Every day I snack on these in the garden – no one else seems to notice them- even the slugs!
Every day I snack on these in the garden – no one else seems to notice them- even the slugs!