Strawberry plants are, in my humble opinion, a truly fascinating marvel of nature. They are amazingly adaptable; they propagate themselves in a plurality of ways; and they produce a fleshy red, white, yellow, or purple fruit that is universally prized by the intelligent and instinctive creatures that live all around us (including us human folk!). They have developed and adapted means of surviving sub-zero temperatures, and, consequently, can be grown from the warmer temperate regions of our great planet all the way north or south to the frigid regions.
But, their adaptability and genetic flexibility have allowed for selective breeding. Researchers have been able to breed for desired characteristics. And, while such breeding programs have allowed for improved disease resistance, bigger strawberries, different colors, and more commercially-viable cultivars, the breeding has also culled some of the hardiness from some of the varieties as specificity has narrowed by region. Today, not just any strawberry variety will do well in just any ol’ location. The more extreme the weather, the more specific one should be when selecting a specialized variety for planting in order to obtain the best harvest from your efforts.
That, my strawberry-loving friends, is where this post can help! If you live in the frigid environs of Canada (at least in winter), you need to know how to pick an appropriately hardy strain of strawberry plants so that you end up happy with your final yield of fruit. If you are from the United States, go here for your state-by-state recommended varieties. This page is a compilation of each of the recommend strawberry variety lists for each of the Canadian provinces and territories.
To jump directly to your province or territory, simply click the abbreviation here:
Strawberry Varieties for ALBERTA
Appropriate Alberta strawberry varieties as recommended by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development:
June-bearing: Bounty, Cavendish, Glooscap, Honeoye, Kent; Everbearing: Fort Laramie, Ogallala; Day-neutral: Albion, Fern, Seascape, Tristar.
Strawberry Varieties for BRITISH COLUMBIA
Appropriate British Columbia strawberry varieties as recommended by the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture; Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada:
June-bearing: Clancy, Hood, Honeoye, Nisgaa (BC 92-20-85), Puget Crimson (WSU 2833), Puget Reliance, Rainier, Shuksan, Stolo (BC 96-33-4), Sweet Bliss (Orus 2180-1), Totem, Valley Red (ORUS 1790-1); Day-neutral: Albion, Diamante, Monterey, San Andreas, Seascape, Selva.
Good strawberry varieties for British Columbia according to the Fraser Valley Strawberry Growers Association:
June-bearing: Charm, ORUS 2427-4, Puget Crimson, Sweet Bliss, Sweet Sunrise, Valley Red.
Strawberry Varieties for MANITOBA
Appropriate Manitoba strawberry varieties as recommended by Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Crops Knowledge Centre:
June-bearing: Kent, Glooscap; Day-neutral: Seascape; Everbearing: Fort Laramie, Ogallala.
Strawberry Varieties for NEW BRUNSWICK
Appropriate New Brunswick strawberry varieties as recommended by the New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries:
June-bearing: Annapolis (early), Blomidon (mid-to-late), Bounty (late), Cavendish (midseason), Glooscap (midseason), Kent (midseason), Veestar (early).
Strawberry Varieties for NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
Appropriate Newfoundland and Labrador strawberry varieties as recommended by StrawberryPlants.org:
June-bearing: Cavendish, Glooscap, Kent; Day-neutral: Seascape, Tristar; Everbearing: Fort Laramie, Ogallala.
Strawberry Varieties for the NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Appropriate Northwest Territories strawberry varieties as recommended by the Northwest Territories Territorial Farmers Association:
Any Alpine strawberry variety (Fragaria vesca species).
Strawberry Varieties for NOVA SCOTIA
Appropriate Nova Scotia strawberry varieties as recommended by Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre in Kentville; Horticulture Nova Scotia:
June-bearing: Annapolis, Kent, Mira, Sable.
Strawberry Varieties for NUNAVUT
Appropriate Nunavut strawberry varieties as recommended by StrawberryPlants.org:
June-bearing: Cavendish, Kent; Day-neutral: Seascape, Tristar.
Strawberry Varieties for ONTARIO
Appropriate Ontario strawberry varieties as recommended by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food:
Early to early mid-season June-bearing: Annapolis, Brunswick, Darselect, Evangeline, Glooscap, Honeoye, Itasca, Mohawk, Sable, V151, Veestar, Wendy; Mid-season to Late mid-season: Allstar, Cabot, Cavendish, Governor Simcoe, Jewel, Kent, L’Amour, Mira, Sapphire; Late season: L’Authentique Orleans, Serenity, St. Pierre, R14, Valley Sunset; Day-neutral: Albion, Evie 2, Seascape.
Strawberry Varieties for PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Appropriate Prince Edward Island strawberry varieties as recommended by the Prince Edward Island Department of Agriculture and Forestry:
June-bearing: AC Valley Sunset, Cabot, Glooscap, Jewel, Mira, Orleans, St. Laurent.
Strawberry Varieties for QUEBEC
Appropriate Quebec strawberry varieties as recommended by the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) sub-station in L’Acadie:
June-bearing: Annapolis, Chambly, Harmonie, Honeoye, Kent, La Clé des Champs, Mira, Saint Laurent, Saint-Pierre, Yamaska; Day-neutral: Albion.
Good strawberry varieties for Quebec according to the Lareault Nursery:
June-bearing: Annapolis, Bounty, Cabot, Cavendish, Chambly, Clé des Champs, Évangéline, Flavorfest, Glooscap, Harmonie, Harriot, Honeoye, Jewel, Kent, Lila, Mira, Sable, St-Jean d’Orléans, St-Pierre, Serenity, Sparkle, Summer Dawn, Summer Rose, Summer Ruby, Valley Sunset, Veestar, Wendy; Day-neutral: Albion, Charlotte, Mara des bois, Monterey, Seascape.
Strawberry Varieties for SASKATCHEWAN
Appropriate Saskatchewan strawberry varieties as recommended by the University of Saskatchewan Fruit Program:
June-bearing: Annapolis, Bounty, Cavendish, Kent; Day-neutral: Fern, Seascape, Tristar; Everbearing: Fort Laramie, Ogallala.
Strawberry Varieties for the YUKON
Appropriate Yukon strawberry varieties as recommended by Yukon Agriculture Research & Demonstration:
June-bearing: Cavendish, Kent.
Terry
Here in Alberta, my large well tended patch of Albion was a failure, ever would only get a mere sprinkling of fruit and hardly even enough to fill my belly! Plants grew big and strong, but setting a decent substantial crop only at the very end of the season in Sept and Oct when killing frosts were upon us! I later read that Albion is not recommended for further northern latitudes or higher altitudes, so had ended up being an entire wasted four years with them, I worked them under! I kick myself for not having stuck with Kent with it’s reliable July bountiful harvest and some to pick as well later in the season. Delizz has been a pleasant surprise, always flowering and fruiting away, not a massive crop at one time, but very worthy just the same and it produces few runners that a patch soon isn’t choked out. Archer makes large vigorous plants and the few fruits I picked from the new planting were of superb rich wild strawberry flavor, I read that these can at times be soft, I yet can’t comment on that. AC Valley Sunset is new as well, plants appear to be of somewhat lower vigor. AAC Audrey were very weak crowns received and will be unable to review them for a few more seasons.
Roland
In Calgary Alberta….I “think” I have June barriers (lots of runners)
and one ever bearing plant.
I am wondering,
should I cut the June ones down to about an inch tall above the crown….
and what I should do with the other one ?
Thanks
Roland
Cake grrl
Hiya, Strawberry Man. Thanks for this!
My gentleman friend, a passionate pie man, remembers Veestar with powerfully wistful strawberry yearning.
The local grower who used to plant the variety has long since retired, and a current grower said that Veestar has petered out, as a hybrid, and is no longer the sweet, fragrant delight it once was. I must find Veestar, or a replacement that equals its mythic marvelosity. Then I must find a grower willing to do what we, in our forest, cannot. The deer would simply laugh.
A grower, I do not expect you to find. But either Veestar or some new stellar strawberry? I believe you are just the fellow to ask. Please help?
Mahnam
Would you tell me what would be a recommended strawberry variety in a greenhouse using hydroponic system. I live in Nova Scotia Canada. I appreciate your answer. would you please email me your answer or just let me know when your answer is up.
Thanks,
Mahnam
Mr. Strawberry
Mahnam,
Usually, hydroponic systems do the best with a day-neutral variety like Tribute or Tristar. Good luck!
Frank
One of the older varieties that have now been superceded was Agasis (sp). Recommended for BC are Totem (BC developed) and Rainier or Puget Reliance (Washington State developed. Later summer varieties are Tristar or Tribute.
Finding someone who sells them is the problem. Anyone know anything about these strawberries and who sells the plants?
Mr. Strawberry
Frank,
You can find a directory of varieties offered here: Buy Strawberry Plants. Good luck!
Carol Teichrob
We have a 7 acre Saskatoon Berry orchard on Vancouver Island. We are researching strawberries as a supplemental crop–probably a vertical growing system. Would appreciate recommendations on what varieties to plant. We used to live near a large commercial strawberry u-pick in Saskatchewan. They got their plant stock from Nova Scotia. They had a June crop, but also a variety that ripened in September which was absolutely superior in production and quality. Do you know what that variety might have been?
Thank you! Carol
Mr. Strawberry
Carol Teichrob,
It was probably one of the late season varieties. Good luck!
Charlie
Hello!
When should I transplant runners if I live in Manitoba?
Thanks!!
Mr. Strawberry
Charlie,
You should transplant in late August or, at the latest, early September. Good luck!
Ryan
Hello!
I WAS planning to build a multi-tiered strawberry pyramid but realized that here in southern Ontario the plants would freeze over winter and it would be too heavy to move (and probably too cold) in the garage. Does anybody know of any strategies to grow more than a few plants with limited garden space (meaning none)?
Additionally, which varieties worth growing do well in containers? And in containers under grow lights as I’d like to grow inside all year, too!
Thank you for your time, and this great site!
Ryan
Oh ya, any strategies that don’t involve PVC?
Mr. Strawberry
Ryan,
Most of the varieties recommended for you location will grow well in pots, if cared for appropriately. If you’d like to grow all year under lights, you need a day-neutral variety. The most popular is probably Tristar. Good luck!
Lisa
Hi there,
I went and got a little ahead of myself and made an impulse purchase I think! I bought these blue strawberry seeds and now I’m getting the feeling they may not grow here..do I have even a small chance that something will sprout being that I’m in Canada and they’re not from here?
Tia! Lisa
Mr. Strawberry
Lisa,
Unfortunately, there are no legitimate blue strawberry varieties. The blue seed sellers are, for the most part, hucksters. The seeds are probably hybrids that will not grow true. Anyway, good luck, and feel free report your experiences!
mitch
hi i am looking to plant next year. when i was a kid in the 60’s , went to my family farm and they had strawberry BUSH’S. these were aboit 3 feet tall and not the lay on the ground type i see today. can someone help with a suggestion on what type these were. thanx mitch
Mr. Strawberry
mitch,
I am not aware of any strawberry bushes since, by definition, strawberry plants are forbs. “Strawberry plants are classified as a forb or herb. Forb/herb plants are ones that don’t have significant amounts of woody tissue above the ground but are still vascular. Their lack of woody tissue causes them to be relatively short (their stems will not thicken and stiffen to support tall growth like non-forb/herb plants will).” So, what you might have encountered was a tiered system that accentuated normal strawberry height. Those types of strawberry planters are readily available. Good luck!
Anne
Oh and btw, I am living about an hour north of Toronto, Ontario.
Thanks,
Anne
Mr. Strawberry
Anne,
Try some of the officially recommended varieties for Ontario. Good luck!
Anne
Hi,
I am currently on my 3rd variety of strawberries having rototillered the first two. Unfortunately, I do not know what variety I currently have or had in the past. All I can say as they are nothing like the strawberries that I grew up with. While they may be larger (slightly) and may, okay they do last longer before requiring some sort of processing, they are simply not sweet—at all! They lack the juicy, sweet flavour and I am missing it greatly. I wish I could get my hands on an old variety that while I may need to hull immediately and freeze or eat, they were good right from the plant to the mouth without sugar–imagine! Seems as through these people coming up with new varieties all the time have forgotten what a strawberry should taste like. But perhaps I have merely, planted the wrong variety. Can you please steer me to a variety that is sweet.
Thank you,
Anne
Mr. Strawberry
Anne,
Surecrop often does well when others have failed. You may want to give that variety a chance. Good luck!
Virginia woodley
Hi Anne, my name is Ginnie & I remember years ago when I was at camp, we came across a patch of wild strawberries that were so tiny but the sweetest & most flavourful I’ve ever had in my life.