Organic Wild Strawberry Alexandria - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds - Fragaria vesca

Fragaria vesca 'Alexandria' is a traditional variety of alpine strawberry, highly appreciated for its taste quality. From July until the first frosts, this perpetual strawberry bears an abundance of fragrant, elongated, bright red fruits. It is resistant and does not produce runners. The fruits combine subtle flavours, making them the perfect choice for pies. Sow the seeds from February to May and harvest throughout summer to the first frosts. If sown early enough, it can fruit in the first year.

The strawberry is a perennial plant belonging to the Rosaceae family. It has been known in Europe for a long time and naturally grows in the undergrowth of temperate regions. However, most of the juicy strawberries grown in our gardens are hybrids derived from a species native to Chile and brought back by the navigator Amédée François Frézier. There are several species of strawberries, the main ones being:

- Fragaria vesca (woodland strawberry) that bears small, highly aromatic fruits

- Fragaria moschata (musk strawberry)

- Fragaria viridis (green strawberry, also known as valley strawberry), which is less interesting due to the acidity of its fruit

- Fragaria chiloensis (Chilean strawberry)

These are wild strawberries. The large-fruited strawberries grown commercially are almost all derived from the species Fragaria x ananassa, which is a hybrid of F. chiloensis and F. virginiana, an American species.

Alpine strawberries are found in alpine undergrowth, where the litter layer provides a suitable environment for its growth. Unlike many other strawberries, this variety does not spread on the ground through long stems called stolons. The plant forms a small, compact clump that stays in place. The recognisable leaves are composed of three toothed leaflets that are fairly dark green. They are semi-evergreen if the climate is not too cold. Between May and September, the plants produce small white flowers with 5 petals and a yellow central cone. Under favourable conditions, these flowers transform into small white fruits that turn yellow when fully ripe. The flesh of these fruits is sweet, aromatic, and flavourful. The leaves can be used to make digestive herbal tea.

Their flavour is very delicate and is characterised by a sweet and fruity aroma, sometimes with a slight acidic note in the background. Non-perpetual varieties only flower once a year in spring, while perpetual varieties can flower twice a year, or even continuously from spring to autumn. Strawberries are a false fruit, rich in vitamins B8, B9, C, and E, and contain provitamin A. They are known for their mineralising, hypotensive, and detoxifying properties. 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 calyx by pinching the stem 1 to 2cm (1in) above the fruit. The texture of the fruit is a good indicator of its ripeness. It should be firm and slightly soft to the touch.

Storage: strawberries are best enjoyed fresh, either on their own with cream or as a topping for tarts. They can be stored for about a week in the vegetable drawer of a refrigerator. They will not keep as long if they have been bruised or scratched. If you have a large harvest, keep in mind that strawberries are delicate fruits. For longer-term storage, consider using sugar, the fruit's best friend. This naturally leads to making jams, marmalades, compotes, or syrups. Of course, you can also make ice cream or sorbets, but they will not keep as long. You can also dry sliced strawberries in the oven and add them to muesli. Strawberries freeze very well. Small containers are now available for freezing small fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, or currants, etc.

Gardener's tip: strawberry plants are good companions for garlic, beans, lettuce, onions, leeks, thyme, and spinach. However, they do not thrive when planted near cabbage and other brassicas.