Introduction to Alpine Strawberries, Fragaria Vesca by Jan Boone, Master Gardener

As Spring started to show early signs of arrival, my attention was quickly taken in by a brief article on Alpine Strawberries in the Spring issue of Heirloom Magazine .   As a foothills resident, I thought it would be a great little experiment to try and educate myself on these for this season, so I’m sharing my experiences after 3 months of worthy efforts.   Here are 5 simple considerations to pass along from this trial: 1.        What exactly is an Alpine strawberry?   It’s not your standard hybrid Fragaria variety of garden plant with runners streaming down pots, across garden pathways and greatly loved by all for their fat red berries, sweet tastes and bountiful production. (Assuming no persistent birds or small critters are in close proximity).   The perennial Alpine origins are quite interesting, from Persia along the Silk Road into Europe and eventually into North America.   The Europeans started cultivation of the larger Fragaria strawberries in the 18 th century which even