Everbearing strawberry 'Albion'

Sun

Full sun, ideally at least 6 hours daily; light afternoon shade can help in very hot climates.

Water

Keep evenly moist, especially during flowering and fruiting. Water at soil level and avoid waterlogged soil.

Soil

Fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil, preferably slightly acidic, around pH 5.5-6.5.

Height

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m), with additional spread from runners

Flowers

White flowers with yellow centres from spring into autumn, often in repeated flushes.

Foliage

Three-part, toothed green leaves forming low leafy crowns; semi-evergreen in mild climates and usually dormant in cold winters.

Growth

Fast during the growing season.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Wildlife
• Low allergen
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant with the crown at soil level, spacing plants 12-18 in (0.3-0.45 m) apart.
• Water deeply whenever the surface soil begins to dry; containers may need daily checks in warm weather.
• Feed lightly in spring, then use a strawberry or tomato fertiliser as directed during cropping; avoid excessive nitrogen.
• Spread clean straw beneath developing fruit to keep berries off damp soil.
• Remove unwanted runners to direct growth into fruit, keeping a few only when you need replacement plants.
• In cold-winter areas, cover dormant plants with loose straw after the ground has chilled, then uncover as spring growth starts.

Pruning. Remove dead or diseased leaves and unwanted runners throughout the growing season without damaging the crown. Do not shear the whole planting after its first crop as you might with June-bearing strawberries, because 'Albion' continues flowering.

Pick berries when they are red all over and fragrant, usually from late spring or early summer until autumn frosts, with timing varying by climate and planting date. Snip or pinch the stalk just above the berry, leaving its green cap attached; strawberries do not sweeten after picking. Healthy spring-planted plants can give a worthwhile crop in their first growing season, with stronger production once established.

Early spring

Remove winter mulch gradually, clear dead leaves and check that crowns have not been lifted by frost.

Spring

Plant healthy young plants at crown level, water thoroughly and apply a light feed.

Late spring

Place clean straw under developing berries and protect ripening fruit with taut, wildlife-safe netting.

Summer

Harvest frequently, maintain steady moisture and remove unwanted runners.

Late summer

Root selected runners for replacement plants and remove damaged or mouldy fruit promptly.

Late autumn

Clear spoiled fruit and dead foliage; mulch dormant plants where winters are cold.

• Edge raised vegetable beds with low foliage, white flowers and accessible fruit.
• Grow in patio pots or troughs near a sunny seating area for easy picking.
• Use in a potager alongside chives, lettuce and other low edible crops.
• Plant in dedicated berry beds with straw paths for a tidy, productive layout.

Garden styles it suits: Potager (kitchen garden), Edible landscape, Cottage garden, Family-friendly, Small-space and Homestead.

Plant it with: Chives, Lettuce, Thyme and Borage.

Wildlife: Flowers provide pollen and nectar for bees and other insects. Birds and small mammals eat the berries; use taut, small-mesh wildlife-safe netting on a frame rather than loose netting.

• Grey mould: remove affected berries immediately, space plants for airflow and keep fruit dry and off the soil.
• Slugs and snails: check plants after dark, remove hiding places and use locally approved iron phosphate bait if needed.
• Vine weevil: inspect container-grown plants for root-feeding larvae and use suitable beneficial nematodes when soil temperatures meet the product's requirements.
• Poor fruiting: provide enough sun, avoid nitrogen-heavy feeding and maintain moisture; flowering may pause during extreme heat.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. The fruit is edible; strawberry allergy can cause reactions in susceptible people, and large amounts may upset pets' stomachs.

• Mock strawberry (Potentilla indica)

  Has yellow rather than white flowers and usually upright, round red fruit with little flavour.

• Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca)

  Usually has much smaller, intensely fragrant berries and finer foliage; 'Albion' bears large, firm garden strawberries.

Fragaria comes from the Latin name for strawberries, while ananassa refers to pineapple, reflecting the fruit's aroma.

Propagation. Root runner plantlets in small pots while they remain attached to the parent, then detach once well rooted. 'Albion' produces relatively few runners; seed-grown plants will not reliably match the cultivar.

Accepted botanical name

Fragaria ananassa

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.