Strawberries
Everbearer and Junebearer strawberry varieties bred for quality, yield, and flavour, supplied to commercial growers across Europe.
Everbearer Strawberries
Everbearer varieties flower and fruit continuously through the season, offering growers flexibility and an extended harvest period.
Prize
Originating from the Plant Sciences breeding programme in California, Prize is an early, long season everbearer variety with a very good yield potential. The plants produce very few misshapes or seedy fruits.
The plants have medium vigour and are well suited to table-top production systems, requiring a relatively low Nitrogen input programme compared to many other everbearer varieties. The long trusses display the fruit well for picking, enabling fast and economic harvesting.
Prize produces a uniform crop of orange-red, conic shaped berries with slightly recessed seeds that look very attractive in the punnet. The fruits have a good flavour and an average Brix of 8.5°. Prize has a high class 1% of fruit as it produces very few misshapes and has good heat tolerance, allowing harvesting in the hottest of weathers without bruising. The firm fruit has an excellent shelf life.
Prize has good tolerance to fruit Botrytis but has an average susceptibility to powdery mildew, so a protective spray programme is recommended.
Arabella
Originating from the Plant Sciences breeding programme in California, Prize is an early, long season everbearer variety with a very good yield potential. The plants produce very few misshapes or seedy fruits.
The plants have medium vigour and are well suited to table-top production systems, requiring a relatively low Nitrogen input programme compared to many other everbearer varieties. The long trusses display the fruit well for picking, enabling fast and economic harvesting.
Prize produces a uniform crop of orange-red, conic shaped berries with slightly recessed seeds that look very attractive in the punnet. The fruits have a good flavour and an average Brix of 8.5°. Prize has a high class 1% of fruit as it produces very few misshapes and has good heat tolerance, allowing harvesting in the hottest of weathers without bruising. The firm fruit has an excellent shelf life.
Prize has good tolerance to fruit Botrytis but has an average susceptibility to powdery mildew, so a protective spray programme is recommended.
Phoebe™
Phoebe™ is the latest release from the Plant Sciences everbearer breeding programme, selected for its excellent fruit quality and flavour throughout the long harvest period. Fruit shape is consistent throughout, producing very few misshapes or seedy fruits.
Phoebe™ has low to moderate vigour and produces long trusses (truss supports are recommended) which present the fruit well for efficient picking speeds.
Phoebe™ has blood red, conic shaped fruits with a deep gloss and a bright appearance.
The fruit has a consistently good flavour and texture with a high brix throughout the season (average 9.0°+). Phoebe always performs well in taste tests.
Best results are achieved on protected table-tops on sites where climate can be managed for mildew prevention.
Malling Ace™
A recent introduction from the East Malling Breeding programme, Malling Ace™ is a very high yielding everbearer with average yields of over 1.5kg per plant.
Malling Ace™ produces compact plants with upright, long leaf petioles and long trusses which display the fruit well allowing for very efficient picking.
The fruits are a uniform conic shape, and the large fruit size (average berry weight = 27g) is maintained across the harvest period. The berries are sweet and juicy and have an excellent flavour and texture.
While this selection has good resistance to crown rot, Malling Ace™ is quite susceptible to powdery mildew and as such, a robust preventative spray programme, ideally backed up with UV light treatments, is recommended for this selection.
To avoid issues with skin damage, Malling Ace™ should not be planted on windy or exposed sites.
Malling Supreme™
Malling Supreme™ produces attractive, glossy berries with a great flavour and is suitable for both substrate and soil-based production systems.
The medium/large fruits (average berry size 21g) are consistently sweet (average Brix 9-10°) with good flesh firmness and a long shelf life.
The fruit is produced on long, simple trusses that display the fruit very well and are quick and easy to pick.
This selection has excellent powdery mildew resistance and moderate resistance to crown rot.
Malling Champion™
Malling Champion™ is a reliable high yielding variety (1kg+) that will perform well in all growing systems and in all weather conditions.
The bright red, round-conic shaped fruits are very firm and are displayed on long trusses. Shelf life is excellent.
Malling Champion™ has good resistance to both Crown Rot and Verticillium Wilt and has moderate resistance to Powdery Mildew.
This robust variety will perform in extreme weather conditions, standing up to periods of wind and rain.
Murano
Murano is a versatile variety suitable for substrate, soil or glasshouse production. This variety is widely planted in the UK for commercial production.
The plants have an open habit which allows for quick and easy harvesting.
The large fruit is long conic in shape with a bright red colour and a deep gloss. The firm fruit has an excellent shelf life.
Murano is a high yielding variety that has good resistance to both crown rot and powdery mildew.
Ania
From the CIV breeding programme in Italy, this variety was specifically bred for Northern Europe.
Ania produces large, heart shaped berries that are bright red in colour with a good gloss. The berries have a wild strawberry flavour combined with a good level of sweetness. The fruit has a robust skin and a long shelf life.
Ania is fairly susceptible to powdery mildew, so a protective spray programme is recommended.
Cantus
From the CIV breeding programme in Italy, this variety was specifically bred for northern Europe.
Cantus has a high disease resistance and is suitable for organic growing. The bright red coloured fruit has red internal flesh. The fruit has a good balance between sweetness and acidity.
Cantus is a high yielding variety with a useful, large first flush. The fruit holds well on the plant and can be harvested when fully ripe without compromising the good shelf life.
Portola
Portola is a tried and tested variety from the UC Davis programme which produces high yields of light-coloured, firm fruit.
Portola is known for its large, vigorous canopy and is ideal for situations where yield is a key factor in the production system.
The fruit is a lighter red colour than most everbearers and should be harvested before becoming fully red to maximise shelf life.
Portola has some susceptibility to crown rot, so appropriate site management is essential.
Junebearer Strawberries
Northern European short day varieties, requiring shortening autumn day length and cooler temperatures to initiate flowers for the following year's crop.
Malling Centenary™
Malling Centenary™ is an early-mid season variety which produces consistent, attractive heart shaped berries. The fruit firmness, flavour, shelf life and Brix levels are excellent, and are considered to be much better than Elsanta. Due to its large average berry size and very low percentage of waste fruit, picking efficiencies with Malling Centenary™ can show significant improvement on other commercial Junebearers.
Malling Centenary™ has a reasonable tolerance to Powdery Mildew but does require some input with plant protection products during high-risk periods.
Malling Centenary™ does not have a strong resistance to root diseases, and this should be considered when selecting the growing system, production sites and plant treatments.
Special attention should be given to adequate Botrytis control during high risk weather conditions, for best results, Malling Centenary™ should be grown under protection where possible.
Malling Centenary™ is particularly suited to protected table tops and glasshouse production systems. Most UK retailers list Malling Centenary™.
Malling Vitality™
Malling Vitality™ is an early-mid season variety with a very similar harvesting period to Malling Centenary™. On some sites Malling Vitality™ can start production 5 to 10 days earlier than Malling Centenary™. The fruit is displayed well on long trusses for enhanced picking efficiency.
Malling Vitality™ produces a very high percentage of good sized, attractive, glossy, pale red class 1 fruits. The fruit is firm and has an excellent shelf life.
Malling Vitality™ has a good tolerance of root disease and is a good option on sites where Malling Centenary™ is unsuitable, particularly if over-wintering is required.
Malling Allure™
Malling Allure™ is a late season variety, with a harvest 10 to 12 days later than Elsanta, with a similar but shorter season to Florence.
Malling Allure™ has a very high yield potential (600g+) and produces a high class 1% of large, attractive berries that are lighter in colour than Elsanta. The fruit is consistently firm with an excellent shelf life and an average Brix of 8.7°.
This later variety has a useful place in the UK market and will help growers spread out the main season picking once the earlier varieties like Malling Centenary™ have finished picking.
Parlando
Parlando is an early-mid season variety from Fresh Forward. This variety is best suited for early substrate production systems.
Parlando has a very high yield potential (650g+). The fruit has a very consistent conic shape, high gloss and bright yellow seeds, making a very attractive berry in the punnet. The fruit is displayed on very long trusses, speeding up harvesting.
Parlando produces very few misshapes and fruit size is very good, however during hot weather fruit size can drop quite quickly, making this selection unsuitable for later 60-day plantings.
The fruit is juicy, with a pleasant texture and has a very good flavour, with a complex balance between sweetness and acidity. During dull weather the fruit can lack sweetness.
Parlando has a good level of resistance to both Powdery Mildew and root diseases such as Phytophthora.
The high evaporation rate of Parlando means a specific watering and climate strategy is advised to prevent drought stress.
Cadenza
A late variety from Fresh Forward, specifically bred for soil-grown production systems.
Compact plants with medium length trusses produce very large berries. The fruit size holds up well throughout the harvest.
Cadenza has bright red, attractive fruits with yellow seeds that are very eye-catching in the punnet. The fruit is firm, has a very good flavour and a juicy flesh with a pleasant texture.
The truss length makes this variety unsuitable for substrate cultivation. 40cm should be allowed between plants when planting.
Red Makalu
Updated variety information for Red Makalu is coming soon.
Elsanta
Once the mainstay of the UK strawberry industry, Elsanta is a good all-rounder.
Elsanta reliably produces good yields of large, firm, glossy orange-red fruit. The fruit has an excellent shelf life and a good level of flavour.
Although successful cultivation of Elsanta requires intensive input from the grower, it can adapt to many different climatic conditions and multiple growing systems.
Sonata
Sonata is a mid-season variety that became the successor to Elsanta.
Sonata is notable for its high percentage of Class 1 fruit with superior eye appeal and flavour, and Powdery Mildew resistance when compared with Elsanta. Well adapted for cooler growing conditions, many northerly growers choose to cultivate Sonata.
Sonata is quick to pick as the fruit breaks off the inflorescences easily, but skin integrity can be challenged in periods of protracted hot weather. In southern counties this variety should always be picked early in the day to avoid issues with bruising. Sonata is less prone to splitting than Elsanta.
Sonata can be susceptible to Crown rot and root rot, so preventative measures need to be carried out.
Fenella
Fenella is a late season variety with a high yield and is a reliable performer even in poor weather conditions.
Fenella produces glossy orange-red berries with a flat calyx. The flavour is sweet and aromatic with a juicy texture. The vigorous plants have an upright habit with long trusses which display the fruit well.
Fenella has very good resistance to both Verticillium wilt and crown rot, along with high rain tolerance, so it can be grown unprotected.
The 50% pick date is 8 days later than Elsanta. The cropping profile is a more compressed season compared with Elsanta.
Florence
Florence is a late season June bearer, peaking 10 to 12 days later than Elsanta.
Known for its high yield and strong disease resistance, it is popular throughout Northern Europe. The berries have a sweet, good flavour, but can darken if left on the plant too long.
Regular, high frequency picking is recommended to minimise bruising and maximise shelf life.
Elegance
Elegance is a mid-late season variety with a very high yield and produces nearly all class 1 fruit. Elegance picks over an extended period, often four to five weeks.
Elegance has glossy, bright berries that are orange-red and a uniform conical shape. Skin is waxy and firm, not susceptible to bruising, and has an excellent shelf life. The flavour is good with a juicy texture.
Anecdotal evidence suggests lower feed inputs can improve flavour characteristics with this variety. Elegance is moderately resistant to crown rot and verticillium wilt but is susceptible to powdery mildew.
Verdi
Verdi is a mid-season variety with a low fertilisation requirement. Verdi has a relatively long harvest period when compared to other June bearing varieties.
The fruit has an intense red to deep red colour and an attractive gloss. Early fruits have a wedge shaped appearance, but later fruits are a uniform conical shape.
Verdi has excellent resistance to root diseases and Powdery Mildew.