It's strawberry season, but will you go buy white strawberries? Its color questions, arouses curiosity, and quickly makes it the star of the stalls. However, the white strawberry is not the result of an artificial genetic modification of classic strawberries (Gariguette, Mara des Bois etc.).
This variety is precious, and rightly so. The strawberry plant is very unproductive, between 5 to 10 times less than a conventional strawberry plant, and the fruit keeps very poorly (hardly more than 3 days). Results, a fruit with an attractive physique and in small quantities, the price necessarily suffers. The white strawberry costs much more than its red cousins: in Rungis, the price per kilo easily exceeds 100 euros, 10 times more than "traditional" strawberries.
It's harvest season!
Appeared in Chile around the eighteenth century, the cultivation of white strawberries is very rare in France. Some stories peddle, however, that this variety, brought back from Latin America by Amédée Frézier, had its place in the King's Garden in the last years of the monarchy. But you don't have to be sovereign to start your own vegetable garden. Only one condition: it is absolutely necessary to plant at least two strawberry plants side by side. Being self-sterile, only pollination by another similar strawberry plant is possible to make your crop fruitful.
To anticipate for next year, you can plant your strawberries in the fall, because they tolerate frost and cold very well. Otherwise, grassing in March or April also allows a good harvest for the month of June. For maintenance, nothing special, like a classic strawberry plant: a little moist soil and a little light.
" READ ALSO In the Aisne, white strawberries brought up to date
And to taste, what is so special about them? In the mouth, the white strawberry has nothing to do with the Gariguettes or the Maras des Bois. It feels much more like tasting a pineapple. Sweeter, it is one of the fruits that contains the most vitamin C. They are therefore also good for health. It's up to you to test!
