Alpine Strawberry
Mignonette Alpine Strawberry is a French heirloom that brings elegance and productivity to gardens across zones 3, 9. These compact plants, reaching just 12 inches tall, produce intensely sweet berries up to an inch long, remarkably large for an alpine strawberry, from June through September. What sets Mignonette apart is its reputation as a culinary darling in France, where the fruit is treasured for delicate pastries and, perhaps most memorably, for floating in glasses of champagne. Whether you're seeking fresh eating or a touch of refined flavor, this everbearing variety delivers both abundance and sophistication.
12 inches apart
Full Sun To Partial Shade
Moderate
3-9
12in H x ?in W
Perennial
High
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This heirloom alpine strawberry is prized across the Atlantic for its exceptional sweetness and surprisingly large berries, which grow generous in size despite the alpine type's typically modest proportions. The extended bloom season from early summer through fall means nearly continuous harvests when conditions are right, and the compact, low-growing habit makes it perfect for groundcover plantings in sun or partial shade. What gardeners love most is the sheer productivity paired with intense flavor, these plants will give you plenty to enjoy fresh, with enough left over for those champagne moments that make French bistro culture so appealing.
These strawberries shine in fresh eating, where their intensely sweet flavor can be fully appreciated. Their size and appearance also make them ideal for pastry work and fine desserts, where they add both visual elegance and concentrated sweetness. Beyond the kitchen, the compact, productive plants work beautifully as ornamental groundcovers, offering both beauty and edible harvest. The berries are particularly suited to luxury applications, whether fresh on a plate, macerated lightly with sugar, or that iconic presentation in champagne.
Plant in early spring or fall, spacing plants about 12 inches apart to allow for mature spread. Ensure the crown sits at soil level—not buried, as this invites rot. Harden off container-grown plants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7–10 days before final planting.
Pick berries when they've turned fully red and are soft to the touch, they won't continue ripening off the plant, so wait for full color development. Harvest in the morning when berries are coolest, as this extends their storage life. Because this is an everbearing variety, you'll have multiple picking opportunities from June through September. Handle berries gently, as alpine types, despite their larger-than-usual size, have a delicate structure.
Remove runners as they develop if you want to maintain a compact, tidy groundcover appearance and direct energy into fruit production rather than vegetative spread. Deadhead spent flower clusters to encourage continuous blooming through the season. In late fall or early spring, remove any dead or diseased foliage to keep plants vigorous.
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“Mignonette Alpine Strawberry carries the legacy of centuries of European fruit cultivation, particularly in France where alpine strawberries have long held a place of honor in fine cuisine and ornamental gardens alike. This heirloom variety represents the careful preservation of a strawberry type that never fell out of favor among French gardeners and chefs, who understood that bigger isn't always better, instead, they valued the intensity of flavor and the delicate size that made these berries perfect for sophisticated applications. The fact that it remains available to home gardeners today speaks to its enduring appeal and the dedication of seed companies and nurseries that have kept this variety in circulation.”