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June-bearing and day-neutral strawberry varieties

Learn characteristics of early-June and day neutral strawberry cultivars.

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Early to Early Mid-Season

Cultivar & Origin	Season & Size	Characteristics	Strong Points	Weakness	Best Suited To:
V151: (FL82-1452 x Selkirk) x (Chandler x 137A84) University of Guelph, Simcoe, Ontario 2007	Early/ Medium-large	Productive variety with large, bright, medium-red, triangular fruit.	Good yields, early cultivar with bright fruit. Fruit is firm with good quality.	High yields but later fruit tends to be smaller. Very susceptible to anthracnose fruit infections. Susceptible to green petal disease. Flavour sometimes bland.	Early shipping variety. Recommended for trial only.
Mohawk: (MDUS 4587 x Earliglow) USDA, Beltsville, and HRIO, Ontario 1994	Very early/ Medium	Vigourous very early variety. Fruit irregular or heart-shaped bright, orange-red, with pale interior.	Very early variety with excellent flavour. Fruit is firm. Resistant to red stele, tolerant to mildew.	King berries may be irregular in shape. Low yields, expect two good early picks.	Local markets, early shipping. SE Canada, and NE USA.
Wendy: (Sable x K91-2) x Evangeline AAFC, Kentville, N.S. 2006	Early/ Large	Productive early season variety released as an improvement to Evangeline. Primary fruit wedge-shaped, others conic.	Fruit size is larger than Evangeline. Productive vigourous plants. Moderately resistant to powdery mildew.	Susceptible to verticillium wilt. Tends to be dark and softer in SW Ontario. Plants do not stand up well in stressful conditions. Skin strength softer than Annapolis.	Early season PYO and local markets, in eastern and northern Ontario.
Veestar: Valentine x Sparkle HRIO Vineland, Ontario 1967	Early/ Medium	Vigourous plants that runner well. High yielding, medium sized berries. Fruit is dark red.	Excellent flavour. Tolerant to Sinbar. Excellent for jam.	Moderately soft, poor for shipping. Colour tends to darken in hot weather. Susceptible to red stele.	No longer recommended in Ontario.
Annapolis: (Micmac x Raritan) x Earliglow AAFC, Kentville, N.S. 1984	Early/ Medium to Large	Produces good yields of orange-red, roundish, firm berries. Plant runners well but not excessively, moderately vigourous.	Acceptable firmness and shelf life.Resistant to red stele.	Very susceptible to powdery mildew and angular leaf spot and susceptible to Botrytis. Sensitive to Sinbar.	Early production for PYO and fresh market. Does well on medium to heavy soil types.
Sable: Veestar x Cavendish AAFC, Kentville N.S. 1998	Early/ Medium to large	Produces bright red berries on vigorous, tall plants. Berries less firm than Annapolis.	Berries are bright red, with good flavour. Good winter hardiness. Resistant to red stele.	Susceptible to angular leaf spot and Botrytis. Fruit is soft. Berry size drops after first pick.	Early PYO. More successful in eastern and northern Ontario than in southwest. Recommended for trial planting.
Evangeline: (Honeoye x Veestar) x NYUS119 AAFC, Kentville N.S. 1999	Early/ Medium	Vigorous healthy plants with flower and fruit clusters held upright, above the ground.	Beautiful fruit, good quality, firm skin, nice shape, with large green calyx. Tolerant to leaf diseases. Good flavour.	First berries are large but size is variable and drops off quickly. Small berry size overall and low yields. Susceptible to red stele.	Early season high-end and fancy markets. No longer recommended in Ontario.
Brunswick: Cavendish x Honeoye AAFC, Kentville N.S. 1999	Early mid-season/ Large	Produces good yields of firm, shiny berries with good quality and average to good flavour. Fruit is uniform in shape, broadly round, larger than Honeoye, smaller than Cavendish.	Productive, with good fruit quality. Resistant to red stele.	Susceptible to Phytophthora crown rot. Flavour more like Honeoye than Cavendish. Apparently hardy. Likely sensitive to Sinbar.	Early mid-season shipping and PYO.
Itasca: Seneca x Allstar Univ. Minnesota, and USDA 2005	Early-mid season/ Medium - Large	Bright red, wedge shaped fruit or round fruit, moderately firm, with classic strawberry flavors. Tough skin relative to other early cultivars. Ripens after Annapolis, before Honeoye.	Apparently hardy, good quality early berry. Resistant to leaf diseases. Resistant to red stele.	Strong flavour, sometimes with unpleasant after taste. Fruit tends to be small and round.	For trial only, where winter hardiness or disease resistance are primary concerns
Honeoye: Vibrant x Holiday NYAES, Geneva New York 1979	Early mid-season/ Medium	Well adapted, high yielding plants. High yields of medium to large firm bright red berries.	Good yields and bright glossy fruit, good quality. Consistent fruit size throughout season.	Flavour is variable, sharp or acid taste, depending on site.Colour darkens in hot weather or when overripe. Tip of fruit ripens last. Somewhat sensitive to Sinbar. Susceptible to black root rot. Not well suited to eastern Ontario. Too dark for southwestern regions.	Widely adapted to different soils and conditions. PYO or fresh market.
Darselect: Parker x Elsanta Darbonne, France 1998	Early mid- season/ Large	Very productive, with attractive fruit. The fruit is firm, bright red, white flesh, with large calyx, holds its size well. Very sweet flavor. The plant is vigorous and readily develops branch crowns, but does not produce excess runners.	High yielding, good flavour, firm enough for shipping.	Very susceptible to powdery mildew. Reported to be hardy to -25C with mulch.	For trial on plasticulture, PYO, fresh market or shipping.
Glooscap: Micmac x Bounty AAFC, Kentville N.S. 1983	Early mid-season/ Medium	High yields of medium to large dark red fruit, medium firm with good flavour.	Good size initially. High yield. Good winter hardiness. Decaps easily. Red flesh. Good for freezing. Tolerant to Sinbar.	Dark colour with pale raised seeds. Susceptible to red stele. June yellows has been observed in some clones.	Popular for PYO especially in E. Ont. and N. Ont., mid-western provinces and states.

Mid-Season to Late Mid-Season

Cultivar & Origin	Season & Size	Characteristics	Strong Points	Weakness	Best Suited To:
L'Amour: (MDUS5252 x Etna) x Cavendish NYAES, Geneva, New York 2003	Mid-season/ Large	Bright red fruit large, long conic shape, large calyx.	Firmer than Honeoye, bruises less easily. Consistent colour and shape, nice sepals.	Susceptible to angular leaf spot. Reported to be cold hardy to at least -25C with straw mulch.	Recommended for trial only for local markets and PYO.
Cavendish: Glooscap x Annapolis AAFC, Kentville N.S. 1990	Mid-season/ Very Large	High yielding variety with large to very large fruit of medium firmness.	Very large fruit. High yields. Resistant to red stele. Can be harvested over a long period.	Tends to colour unevenly under some conditions, ie cool springs followed by hot weather at green fruit stage and ripening. White blotches and dark purple red colour may be present on the same berry. Skin can be tender. Becomes soft in hot weather. Sensitive to Sinbar. Very susceptible to angular leaf spot.	Better adapted to E. and N. Ontario because of dark colour and uneven ripening in hot conditions. PYO and limited fresh market.
Kent: (Redgauntlet x Tioga) x Raritan AAFC, Kentville N.S. 1981	Mid-season/ Medium	Large leafy plant with blue-green tinge. Produces high yields of bright red fruit.	High yields. Long fruiting season.	Skin strength can be weak in hot conditions (not as strong as Honeoye). Very susceptible to leaf spot, leaf scorch, angular leaf spot, Botrytis and anthracnose fruit rot. Plants wilt and fruit becomes excessively dark in hot weather. Very sensitive to Sinbar. Produces multi-crowned plants with few runners in hot conditions.	PYO, and fair for shipping from cooler areas of Ontario. Does well on both sandy loam and clay loam soils. Does not do well on hot sandy soils.
Sapphire: 319A92 x V7737-2 University of Guelph, Simcoe, Ontario 2002	Late mid-season, similar to Kent/ Large	Consistently shaped bright red large berries with good, sometimes mild flavour and medium firmness. Vigorous plants.	Tolerant to Sinbar. Attractive berries.	Seeds and prominent. Susceptible to Botrytis, otherwise, disease tolerance unknown. Yield is low to moderate.	PYO and fresh market, trial only.
Mira: Scott x Honeoye AAFC, Kentville N.S. 1996	Mid-season to late mid-season/ Large	High yielding, semi-vigourous plant, with bright red conical firm berries, white in center. Uniform shape. Ripens a few days after Kent.	Yields are similar to Kent, but berries are firmer and have better quality compared to Kent. Maintains good quality and does not darken in hot weather. Resistant to red stele and most leaf diseases. Maintains good size for several pickings.	Flavour fair and may be tart. Berries may be uniformly coloured before they are completely ripe with full flavour. Sensitive to Sinbar. Berry texture becomes mealy under hot conditions	Suitable for fresh market, not as popular for PYO.
Jewel: (Senga Sengana x NYE58) x Holiday NYAES, Geneva, New York 1985	Mid-season - late mid- season/ Large	Semi-vigorous plants with good yield and bright glossy red large fruit, conical in shape.	Bright and glossy red. Good yield, but not as productive as Honeoye or Kent. Good for freezing.	Susceptible to winter injury. Fruit darkens and softens in hot weather. Bland flavour. Spotty establishment in some years. Sensitive to Sinbar. Susceptible to leaf spot, red stele, powdery mildew, and Verticillium. Susceptible to black root rot.	Well adapted to loamier soil types. Suitable for fresh market and shipping.
Cabot: (Elsanta x K79-5) x (ArKing x K7-40) AAFC, Kentville N.S. 1998	Mid season/ Very Large	Produces very large, bright red, juicy berries, on large sturdy plants.	Very large berries, on average over 20 grams. Good flavour.	Primary berries are very irregular in shape. Berries have a thin skin and are susceptible to Botrytis. Plants do not runner well, and should be set at closer spacings. Plants are susceptible to crown rot. Flavour is good but not sweet.	PYO, and fancy fresh markets. Trial only.
Allstar: US 4419 x MDUS 3184 Univ. Maryland and USDA 1981	Late mid-season/ Large	Vigorous plants with orange red berries, uniform in shape and size with raised seeds.	Good flavour. Firm fruit. Orange - red colour.	Size drops off after 2 pickings. Seeds prominent. Especially susceptible to angular leaf spot.	Very popular in Michigan and U.S. No longer recommended in Ontario
Governor Simcoe: Guardian x Holiday HRIO, Simcoe, Ontario 1985	Late mid-season/ Large	Vigorous plants with light green foliage. Berries are bright and light red in colour with pale interior.	Firm berry with strong skin. Acceptable for shipping. Mild, pleasant flavour.	Susceptible to powdery mildew and leaf blight. Production can be inconsistent in cooler regions and on heavier soils. Somewhat sensitive to Sinbar.	Best suited to lighter textured, warm soils. Performs well in southwestern Ontario.

Late Season

Cultivar & Origin	Season & Size	Characteristics	Strong Points	Weakness	Best Suited To
L'Authentique Orléans: L'Acadie x Joliette McGill University and AAFC, St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, Qué	Late/ Very Large	High yielding with large firm fruit. Bright, medium red berries, roundish to cone shape, with large green calyx and excellent quality.	Consistent fruit size, with good flavour. Good shelf life.	Anthracnose fruit rot has been observed on fruit. Did not survive in Thunder Bay.	Has potential for fresh market and shipping. For trial only.
St. Pierre: Chandler x Jewel AAFC, St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, Qué 2002	Very Late/ Large	High yielding with large bright light red fruit. Large green calyx and excellent quality.	Consistent fruit size, with good flavour. Good shelf life. Vigorous plants in Thunder Bay	Susceptible to anthracnose fruit rot and powdery mildew.	Has potential for fresh market and shipping.For trial only.
Serenity: 137A84 x Chandler University of Guelph, Simcoe, Ontario 2003	Late/ Large	Conical shaped fruit. Produces high yields of very large, bright soft-skinned fruits.	Large berries in early picks	Susceptible to anthracnose fruit rot. Tips can be seedy. Berries in later picks are small and pointy. Susceptible to anthracnose.	Recommended for trial for shipping and fresh markets.
R14 University of Guelph, Simcoe, Ontario 2007	Very late/ Very large	Large fruited variety, sister to Serenity, with better fruit quality but lower yields.	Excellent quality, compared to Serenity.	Low yields, one large inflorescence per plant.	For small trials only.
Valley Sunset: Great-grandparents include Pandora, Scotland, Micmac, Allstar, Cavendish and Bogota. AAFC, Kentville, Nova Scotia 2006	Very late/ Very large	A late flowering and fruiting variety with large bright red fruit and moderate yields.	Very late variety, with large fruit and mild sweet flavour.	Slightly soft skin. Somewhat seedy. Not likely suitable for shipping. Susceptible to powdery mildew.	Local fresh market and PYO to extend the season. For trial only.

Day Neutral varieties

Cultivar & Origin	Season & Size	Characteristics	Strong Points	Weakness	Best Suited To
Seascape University of California 1991	Day neutral - peak production in August and early September. Large.	Firm fruit, medium to long conic in shape, bright red in colour and good quality. High yields in August and early September.	High yielding variety with attractive flavourful berries.	Susceptible to two-spotted spider mite. Extremely susceptible to powdery mildew. Ripe fruit easily damaged by rain. May not be winter hardy in most of Ontario.	Annual production, for local fresh market and shipping .
Albion: Diamante x Cal94.16-1 University of California Patented in 2006	Day neutral - peak production in late August and September. Large.	Very high quality fruit, conic in shape, ripening from bottom to top.	Resistant to verticillium wilt, Phytophthora crown rot and relatively resistant to anthracnose crown rot. Excellent fruit quality. Flavourful fruit. High percentage of fruit is marketable.	Lower yields than Seascape. Later production cycle. Less winter hardy than Seascape	Annual production for local fresh market and shipping.
Evie 2: Everglade x J92D12 Edward Vinson Ltd. United Kingdom 2006	Day neutral - not as early as Seascape but earlier than Albion. Large.	Vigourous plants producing large light red, firm, sweet fruit, on long trusses. Fruit is less conic in shape than Seascape.	Good yields. More tolerant of powdery mildew and Botrytis than Seascape.	Fruit is softer than Seascape and not as early.	Local fresh markets.

Updated: March 22, 2024

Published: July 19, 2022