Is there any scent or taste more alluring than chocolate? If you have ever sampled Fragaria vesca ‘Sempervirens’ your answer might just be yes. More commonly known as Alpine strawberries, these heirloom herbaceous perennials, while petite in size, pack a surprising punch with their alluring perfume fragrance and intense flavor.
Just what are Alpine strawberries? A better question to ask is, “What aren’t they?” Alpines aren’t the “woodland strawberries” known as Fraises des Bois in France. They’re natives growing near the woodland edges of North and South America, Canada, Africa, Asia and Europe. These highly prized heirloom berries were discovered about 300 years ago east of Grenoble, France, and were first cultivated in ancient Persia. Archaeological evidence has documented consumption of these berries by Stone Age people in Denmark and Switzerland. Alpines were found in medieval paintings and were mentioned in the writings of Virgil, Ovid and Pliny.
Why don’t we see them today? A couple centuries ago, after the propagation of American hybrid strawberries, their popularity fell away. Most people preferred the larger/more prolific, albeit less aromatically delicious hybrids. Like all woodland strawberries, Alpines aren’t hybrids like most of the strawberries grown in our gardens. They’re one of few varieties that grow true-to-seed, so seedlings will be the same as parent plants.
Requiring little attention, Alpines flourish in most garden soil that is sufficiently moist, but not soggy. Growing to 1-2’ tall, their soft mounds of sawtooth-edged leaves make excellent border plantings where filtered light is provided by taller plants or trees. They’re well-behaved in garden spaces, given their lack of runners. Even self-sowing regeneration remains respectfully near original plants. Excess plants can be potted to keep or share with others. Mature Alpine plants can withstand cold temperatures down to -20°F.
Alpines also make wonderful container plants and flourish in shadier areas. Bright sun rays aren’t required for crimson or creamy-skinned fruit production as with hybrid strawberries. (Yes, there are creamy white and yellow-fruited Alpines too). If red berries aren’t to your liking, then these, with the pronounced fragrance and flavor of an intense pineapple, will be. No kidding! You certainly won’t taste or smell that with hybrid strawberries! Additionally, white Alpine berries lack the pigment present in red fruits, so they can be enjoyed by those allergic to red berries.
Flowering is from early spring through well into autumn. So, these delicious berries will perfume your yard and plate for months. They’ll also bear fruit the first year they’re planted. How great is that? If starting Alpines from seeds, be patient as it can take up to a month for their first green sprouts to pop. Sprinkle seeds on the surface of soil, then gently press in for them to germinate. Purchasing plants is another option if you just can’t wait. Whichever way you obtain your plants, any fallen berries will sprout more. How easy is that to propagate more fragrant fruiting plants for your garden?You can also increase plants by dividing crowns of established ones. Such division also rejuvenates them.
These delicate berries are best enjoyed fresh when fully ripe. When mature, they’ll easily slip from their stems and deliver their most fragrant flavor. (They’ll last only a couple days when refrigerated). With your own delectably sweet and alluringly fragrant Alpine strawberries on your back deck, you’ll be dining divinely without needing to drive to the depths of the local woodland to forage for these little fruits.
Resources:
Renee’s Garden Seeds –Luxury from the Garden: Alpine Strawberries
Fine Gardening – Alpine Strawberries
Terroir Seeds – Alpine Strawberries have a Sweet History
Sources for Alpine Strawberry Plants and Seeds: Remember, If you see “Fraises Des Boise” listed then they’re not Alpines and will send out runners.
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds They have seeds for ‘Alexandria Scarlet’ and ‘White Soul’ cultivars.
The Strawberry They have the most varieties including ‘Yellow Wonder’ and ‘Pineapple Crush’, the best flavored white varieties, as well many red types, both seed and plants.
Raintree Nursery They have four varieties of Alpine plants.
Recipe: Alpine Strawberry Napoleons
1 package frozen puff pastry (17 ¼ oz), thawed
½ cup organic confectioners’ sugar
1 cup heavy cream
4 oz Neufchatel cream cheese (not whipped in the tub), softened
⅔ cup 2% vanilla Greek yogurt (Tillamook or Trader Joes Skyr)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
Zest from one organic lemon
2 pints of Alpine strawberries (red, white or both)
2 tablespoons organic sugar
Ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350°
Open pastry and with a serrated knife cut into eighteen 2-by-3-inch rectangles. Place strips on parchment covered baking sheets. Bake for about 7-10 minutes until puffed. Remove strips from the oven and gently press them to about ⅛” thick with a wire rack. Bake for another 8-10 minutes until light brown.
Increase oven to 475°
Dust evenly all the strips with confectioners’ sugar (a small shaker works best or a fine sieve) and return to oven for about 10 minutes until browned.
In a medium bowl, combine, Neufchatel, organic sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, yogurt and lemon zest. Blend on low until mixed together. Stir in cream and whip until soft peaks form.
To assemble:
Spread or pipe ¼” layer of whipped cream on 12 of the pastry rectangles then top with a single layer of berries. Stack six filled pastries atop the remaining six then top with a plain pastry. Pipe a rosette of cream on top, pop on a berry and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Makes six servings.
This is the time of year when gardeners are busy planning their next gardens: evaluating what went well last year, buying and planting seeds, as well as pruning and fertilizing.
February 
Photos by Sandy O’Neill
The overall winner was Linda Jo Millus (2023) with her photo “Echinacea – Cone Flower”.
Oregon State University Extension
