Strawberry plants are constantly being cross-bred and tweaked through dedicated breeding programs across the United States, in Canada, and other locals across the globe. There are multiple reasons for this constant selective work on the various members of the genus Fragaria. Strawberries are developed in order to maximize genetic potential so that certain goals are attained. The most common goals are increased production of larger strawberries and increased plant hardiness and vigor for specific climate, region, or growing conditions.
This constant search for a better strawberry has led to multiple different types of strawberries and multiple different cultivars that each possess unique characteristics and production patterns. Hundreds of different varieties have been developed over the years. Some produce big berries, some medium, some small. Some grow well in even the northernmost regions while others flourish in the south. Some strawberry plants produce one big crop of strawberries while others produce multiple crops or constantly produce throughout the growing season. (For a detailed discussion of the various types of strawberry plants, see the Strawberry Varieties reference page.)
One subtype of strawberry plants that often garners some confusion are the strawberries that are considered short-day June-bearing strawberry plants.
