Colorful Strawberries

Funtastici August 25, 2022

1,203 9 minutes read

Do you want to plant some strawberries in various colors but are unsure of which ones to choose? There are a variety of novelty strawberries available, some of which you may not have heard of.

In 1766, the modern strawberry was invented in Brest, France. Strawberry did not originate from France despite it being cultivated there. It is known as F.chiloensis v. F. Virginiana since it was across Fragaria virginiana from the United States with Fragaria chiloensis (from Chile).

Most people instantly think “sweet” and “red” when you mention strawberries. However, there are also a variety of interesting novelty strawberry varieties, such as striking white, rose-pink, purple, and even berries with a pineapple flavor.

For gardeners seeking diversity in their plantings, most of these varieties are not available in stores which makes them extra special. Apart from strawberries skyrocketing in popularity, growing them is remarkably easy. These ferocious perennial fruits proliferate over the nation’s garden beds and vine wildly along woodland floors.

Crossing wild and foreign varieties into a rainbow of colored strawberry possibilities is how Strawberry aficionados and plant breeders have met the demand in recent years.

These differently colored fruits are sure to bring some variety to your garden this season whether you are transplanting strawberry starts, or planting bare root strawberries. So let’s explore our favorite non-traditional strawberry colors for home gardeners to try outside of the traditional luscious red.

Can Strawberries Be Different Colors?

For a few decades, there have been uniquely colored strawberries around. Golden berries, white, yellow, and pink berries are among the uniquely colored strawberries that have been around for a few decades.

It is not too outlandish to wish to grow variously colored strawberries because colorful fruits and vegetables have been available for a long time (purple cabbage and yellow carrots are even currently thought of as mainstream). These variations are frequently created by mating “off-types” of wild or alpine strawberries and storing the seeds from the slightly varied colors.

In spite of outrageous claims from online retailers selling their seeds or plants, bright blue, neon pink, bright green, black, or rainbow strawberries do not exist. Therefore, you have to be wary of photoshopped strawberries on the internet from outrageous online retailers.

However, there are several amazing strawberry varieties that you can actually cultivate on your own.

Are Colored Strawberries GMO?

Juicy, plump, and red with green tops and yellow-ish seeds are the traditional strawberries.

However, strawberries can be bred to grow differently pigmented fruits just like purple cabbage or orange cauliflower. The majority of novelty fruit types remain unaltered genetically.

Instead, they are created by gathering seeds from particular fruits, transplanting them, picking out special hues, and depicting the procedure. It is a drawn-out procedure if that makes sense.

Strawberry plants can be slowly selected for inherited traits that make them grow in different hues, flavors, and shapes just like Gregor Mendel’s pea plant experiments learned in school. In fact, it took up to 13 years for plant breeders at Cornell University to develop the ‘Purple Wonder’ strawberry.

Other berries, like white strawberry kinds, were chosen from wild mutations that were deficient in specific genes necessary for ripening into their typical red color. Strawberries with unusual colors are obviously not “Frankenfoods.” They simply defy our notions of berries straight out of the garden by combining uncommon, entertaining genetics.

Colored Strawberry Varieties

The refreshingly different flavors and unique ability to start conversations are the reasons why these non-GMO types of novelty strawberries are becoming more popular amongst home gardeners.

You should try out one or a few of these novelty strawberry varieties if you have been wanting to wow your kids or neighbors with a fresh take on America’s favorite red berry.

Purple Wonder

Purple Wonder is a truly purple strawberry that starts out creamy white and then ripens into red, then burgundy with purple undertones, and it was developed by plant breeders at Cornell University’s Small Fruit Program. As it ripens on the planet both the skin and interior are dark violet-toned and sweetened.

To offer something unique to home berry growers in 2012, Burpee released ‘Purple Wonder.’ The extra high antioxidant content makes ‘Purple Wonder’ a healthier option than plain old strawberries in addition to the show-stopping color. Besides, these berries have a great taste.

“The color is something you will not be able to find in any grocery store,” explains Courtney Weber, one of Cornell’s tiny fruit breeders, “but the flavor is the most essential factor for their selections: Purple Wonder is sweet and aromatic, with exceptional strawberry flavor.”

Additionally, Cornell tried to develop this type as a low-maintenance plant that requires less trimming. Because it does not produce a lot of runners (stolons), “Purple Wonder” is ideal for patios, compact spaces, and container gardens.

White Alpine

White Alpine, the original white strawberry, has been cultivated for more than three centuries. This stunning whitish-yellow strawberry originated from mutant wild kinds with paler skin. White Alpine stay white throughout their ripening circle because they do not have the ripening protein Fra al that standard red berries have.

Wild strawberries found in the Alps and northern Europe’s lower elevations are known as alpine strawberries or forest strawberries. For centuries, these small richly-flavored berries have been wild foraged.

But more lately, gardeners and plant breeders have also started to nurture them. On the fruit surface, ‘White Alpine’ can have pinkish-red or yellow speckled achenes. It is very well-liked in Japan and is becoming more commonly accessible in western specialty fruit circles.

White Soul Alpine

“White Soul Alpine” is the offspring of enhanced “Alpine” seed kinds that have been handed down through generations of gardeners like heirlooms. Throughout the season, these everbearing, runnerless plants are about 6 inches tall and produce aromatic cream-colored fruits.

This novelty berry is a tropical treat for locations with a moderate amount of warmth thanks to its flavor, which is a medley of strawberry, pineapple, and coconut.

While the original “Alpine” has pink or red speckled achenes on its surface, “White Soul Alpine” typically has yellow achenes (tiny seeds).

Although it can be difficult to locate ‘White Soul Alpine’ crowns or plugs that are ready to plant, a number of rare and heirloom seed suppliers sell the variety’s seeds.

From the time of planting, the seeds germinate in 14 to 48 days, and it takes about 120 days to harvest them. The spacing between plants should be 8″ apart, and they should be planted in full light.

White Pineberry

White Pineberry is a white strawberry with red achenes, in contrast to White Soul Alpine’s creamy white with yellow undertones. A distinctive and unforgettable gastronomic experience is provided by the sharp contrast between the creamy background and the scarlet specks.

The tropical flavor of these white strawberries is evocative of pineapple. They look stunning in the kitchen and garden next to red types.

Everbearing, self-pollinating ‘White Pineberry’ plants bear fruit from late spring until the first frost. The pollination and output of strawberries can be enhanced by planting a different cultivar.

Yellow Wonder

Yellow Wonder, a different kind of alpine strawberries, produces tiny strawberries with a striking golden-yellow tint. The taste of regular red berries is frequently preferred to the creamy texture and tropical flavor of these fruits.

These fruits have a distinct aroma and smell amazing when the plants are fully loaded at the height of summer. ‘Yellow Wonder’ is surprisingly easy to grow from seed and it is most common in Europe and fine dining restaurants in the United States.

It takes 14 to 48 days for seeds to germinate and 120 days for fruit to start to appear. Fruit production typically amps up in the second year because it is an everbearing type.

Golden Alexandria

Another variant of Fragaria vesca and one of the most popular heirloom alpine strawberries is the ‘Golden Alexandria’. It ranks highly among alpines in terms of yield, vigor, and flavor. The overpowering, runnerless, and nicely compact plants are a nuisance.

The foliage has a distinctive greenish-gold hue that offers a great punch to summer gardens, in contrast to the berries, which are a traditional fruit red. ‘Golden Alexandria’ works well in pots and in gardens with some shade. The thimble-sized strawberries have a lusciously sweet flavor.

Lipstick Beach Strawberry

The scientific name for this strawberry is Fragaria chiloensis. It is also known as beach strawberry or sand strawberry and is native to the pacific coast of Chile and the United States from Alaska to California.

Actually, one of the earliest strawberry varieties that were crossed to produce contemporary berries was this wild fruit. But on its alone, it’s also a distinctive novelty berry.

The beach strawberry variety “Lipstick” produces an abundance of fruits with vivid red skins and white inside. Compared to alpine varieties, the berries are larger but not quite as tasty. This variety’s remarkable feature is its ability to withstand light foot traffic. Even some gardeners will plant it in place of grass.

White Jewel

The white strawberry is mostly found in Japan, where it is a staple in the country’s market for expensive fruits. There are several different types of unique fruit in the Asian nation, but the White Jewel or Shiroi Houseki is the most well-known variety and also the rarest and most expensive.

Virginiana

Mountain strawberries, or Fragaria virginiana, are yet another uncultivated variety of strawberries found in North America. They still have outstanding flavor in each of their little berries, even though they are not as amazingly sweet as European alpine strawberries.

They used a bunch of runners to disseminate their own patches. Low-growing and with lovely ruffled leaves, the ground-hugging plants offer a lovely appearance. The springtime blooms of the exquisite white flowers are followed by the early summer ripening of the delectable little berries.

Fragaria virginiana has stunning scarlet to burgundy foliage in the fall. This is an excellent variety for you especially if you love native plants or want to use strawberries as an eligible ground cover.

Tristan

The majority of gardeners are aware that strawberries bloom in white. However, “Tristan” blooms in the spring and is fuschia pink. Although its berries are a typical shade of red, the deep rosy red blossoms on this plant are stunning in and of themselves.

These orderly, small-growing plants are excellent for patio and container gardens. They produce extremely sweet, elongated berries and are everbearing and simple to grow.

Mara Des Bois

This strawberry is one of the wonderful garden types that the French are famous for. Throughout the summer, “Mara Des Bois” yields regular harvests of mouthwateringly delicious, voluminous, and aromatic red berries.

Although it is a day-neutral variety, it is related to alpine strawberries and has been engineered to produce fruits that are substantially larger. It may be cultivated either in the ground or in containers, and it fills the garden with an alluring berry smell.

Musk

Musk Strawberries or Hautbois strawberries (Fragaria moschata), a delicacy in Europe, are greatly sought after for their opulent flavor. Sometimes these rich burgundy to brownish-rose colored berries can ripen to blackberry-like darkness. Their flesh is delicate and pearl white.

Their taste is very rich and unique, with a wonderfully fragrant flavor. It is described as being mildly spicy with notes of wine, honey, and musk (hence the name). Others claim that it has a raspberry, melon, and cheese flavor.

These berries have such a potent scent that they may fill your entire kitchen or backyard. “Musk” is a novelty that can only be found in central European woodlands or by growing in your garden because it is far too delicate for trade or transportation.

Final Thoughts

No matter what color they are—purple, white, golden-yellow, or traditional burgundy—a juicy, freshly picked berry from the garden is always a good choice. These innovative cultivars each provide distinctive pops of color for your landscape and summer treats.

Thankfully, making futuristic strawberries doesn’t need genetic engineering or photoshop. When growing strawberries of various colors, you do not have to give up yields or vigor. You should be able to cultivate some fresh novelty strawberries in no time if you follow the fundamentals of strawberry cultivation.

FAQs.

What colors were strawberries originally?

Strawberries were once white.

What are strawberries a hybrid of?

The most popular strawberry types are a cross between a native North American wild Virginia strawberry and a Chilean variety.

Strawberries are a part of the rose family. From tiny blossoms, the plant develops succulent, red colonial fruit and sends out runners to spread.

Are strawberries dyed red?

When strawberries ripen, they naturally take on a crimson hue. This often has a very intense, ruby-red hue. You can be confident that strawberries grown in the US are not colored.

Oranges can be colored, while strawberries only have a law defining when the product is deemed rotten. The FDA specifically details all fruit adulteration done to them.

Is there such a thing as blue strawberries?

According to Snopes, strawberries are a hoax whose creation, as well as their eye-catching blue color, is due to Photoshop’s “replace color” tool rather than to nature.

How long will strawberry plants last?

Strawberry plants are perennial, and the majority of them continue to produce well-balanced yields for three to four years.

Why are white strawberries so expensive?

White strawberries are significantly more expensive than red ones due to the labor-intensive growing method. The price of a single strawberry maybe as high as $10.

Are there black strawberries?

No, there aren’t any black strawberries available in stores. It turns out that the ‘black strawberries’ being sold online are simply altered to seem black.

Where to buy colorful strawberry seeds and bare root plants: