Strange Seeding Strawberry
One of my garden neighbours has a strawberry that has begun to sprout. Not the plant, the actual strawberry. Neither of us has ever seen anything like it, and I must say it’s a rather strange sight.
Each of the seeds on the outside of the strawberry has a green shoot extending out of it, giving it the appearance reminiscent of a just sprouted Chia Pet. Frankly, it looks quite alien.
Normally, strawberry seeds can only be activated or germinated after they’ve been frozen/wintered.
“The key factor in successful germination is the cooling or winterizing of the seeds before planting.”
How to sprout strawberries.
The fact that this one’s seeds all spontaneously sprouted in relatively warm weather is unusual.
I’ve not found anything in my online search travels to explain what happened or whether you can plant the strawberry like this and grow it successfully. If you’ve ever encountered this, I welcome your comments.
Written by liz gaige, August 22, 2010
Filed under Urban Gardening
Rick Said,
August 26, 2010 @ 5:11 pm
BIZARRE. I have never seen anything like that, and I grew up with berries (in the valley)!
Karen Said,
April 4, 2011 @ 4:00 pm
I also had this happen in my stawberry bed several years ago. I was going to take a picture but the squirrel got it before I found my camera. I just figured it was the one that got away. I also wondered how all the seeds could have sprouted as it was in the middle of July that I found it. Thanks for the picture – nobody would believe it was real otherwise.
Marty Lonsdale Said,
May 2, 2011 @ 8:29 am
I also have found four or five strawberries like the one pictured. I have planted one to see if it will grow.
Marty
liz gaige Said,
May 2, 2011 @ 11:11 am
Hey, let us know if it sprouts. I didn’t have a chance to ask if I do that with the one I photo’d as it was in my neighbour’s garden plot.
Gina Fish Said,
May 3, 2011 @ 6:32 pm
I also have about 5 or more like this…please let me know what to do with them. We want to plant them if they will turn into plants. We had a cold winter…it hit below freezing at least 10 times…so maybe that was good enough to help them sprout…since it’s nice and hot now.
I’ve never heard of this…and I can’t seem to find any helpful info. regarding it online.
Please respond if you hear anything.
Thanks,
Gina
liz gaige Said,
May 4, 2011 @ 12:59 pm
I’m not sure it will grow, but why not give it a try? One fellow who’d grown up on a strawberry farm had never seen anything like it, so I’m not sure very many people have.
Marty Said,
May 21, 2011 @ 3:32 pm
~ I planted one of those strange berries and thought you might like an update. All it did was rot. Turned into a blob of white spongy stuff. Back to the old drawing board.
Marty
Kathy Said,
September 25, 2011 @ 9:01 pm
Saw one plant with a few berries like this at a pick-your-own farm near Toronto this weekend. At first I thought the berry was covered in insects but upon closer inspection it turned out to be similar to your photo – Strawberries with green 5 o’clock shadow!
liz gaige Said,
October 1, 2011 @ 1:35 pm
That’s the perfect description! Strawberry 5 o’clock shadow. That situation also reminds me of the Play-Doh barber set where you could make “hair” grow.