Is a Strawberry a Fruit or a Flower?

Types of Strawberries

• Several types of strawberries are available for use in the home garden, including June-bearing strawberries, everbearing strawberries and day neutral strawberries. All three types produce both fruits and flowers but differ in regards to the time of year for fruit and flower production. June-bearing strawberries produce berries during a two- to three-week period in the mid-spring, according to gardening experts at the University of Illinois Extension. Flower production begins during the early spring. Everbearing strawberries produce less runners than June-bearing plant. These crops produce berries three times each each year: once in the spring, once in the summer and once in the fall. Day neutral strawberries produce flowers and fruits throughout the growing season.

Flowering Habits

• Strawberry flowers begin to develop in the early spring for all three types of strawberries. The plant first produces green leaves, followed by the flowers on top of the leaves. For day neutral and everbearing plants, a healthier berry crop is achieved by removing flowers early in the growing season. Remove flowers from the plants until mid-June, recommends Gary Gao of the University of Illinois. This allows plants to produce larger, healthier berries. Stimulate root and runner growth in June-bearing strawberries by removing all blossoms the first year. For homeowners plantings strawberries as a flowering groundcover, rather than a bountiful strawberry crop, there is no need to remove flowers.

Fruiting Habits

• Just as there are different types of strawberries available, berry sizes differ depending on the particular cultivator. On average, one strawberry plant produces 1 to 2 quarts of berries in a single growing season, according to the editors at the National Gardening Association. For large berry fruits, try "Redchief" or "Guardian" cultivators, which also produce good-quality berries for desserts and freezing, according to Gao. For smaller fruits, try "Tristar" or "Tribute" cultivators of day neutral strawberries.

Gardening Culture

• Several planting methods work well for producing healthy strawberries, depending on the type of plant and a garden's desired yield. Plant in rows or using a hill systems, where several young plants are grouped together. Strawberries prefer well-drained, fertile soils with a pH between 5.8 and 6.5, according to Gao. Plant in raised beds or as container plants in areas with wet soils. Carefully remove weeds, which may threaten the health of the strawberry crop.