FruitStrawberry
Mignonette Strawberry
The French Mignonette strawberry brings an untamed mountain wildness to your garden, with its classic heirloom appearance that looks nothing like store-bought berries. These compact alpine strawberries mature in 80-89 days into charming 6-8 inch mounds that flourish in containers and hanging baskets. Hardy through zones 3-9, this perennial Fragaria vesca variety produces sweet, perfumed one-inch fruits that continue bearing for 2-4 years once established.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam; Slightly Acidic Preferred
Growth Stats
8 in
Height
TypeBush
Spacing
3
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-10
Size
8in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
What sets Mignonette apart is its wild strawberry heritage combined with civilized garden manners. Unlike typical strawberry varieties, these plants stay compact without sending out runners, making them perfect for edging paths or cascading from window boxes. The deep red berries arrive in the first season after sowing, offering an intense perfumed sweetness that transforms morning cereal into something special. Their ruby-colored fruits nestle beautifully on tiny tarts and cakes, bringing both flavor and visual elegance to desserts.
Common Uses
Mignonette strawberries excel as garnishes and delicate dessert components, where their intense perfumed flavor and ruby color shine. Sprinkle these petite berries over morning cereal, nestle them on tiny tarts and cakes, or enjoy them fresh as an elegant finishing touch. Their compact size and intense flavor make them particularly suited for applications where regular strawberries would be too large or mild.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Sow seeds 1 inch apart and 1/8 inch deep in fine seed starting mix, maintaining temperatures at 60-70°F. Provide strong light and keep evenly moist but not soggy. Be patient as seeds take 14-28 days to germinate. Feed young seedlings every 2 weeks with half-strength fertilizer, then transplant to individual pots when they have several sets of leaves.
Transplant Outdoors
When seedlings reach 3 inches tall, transplant outdoors with 3-inch spacing. Ensure plants are well-established before transplanting as they can be slow to establish in early spring.
Direct Sow
Plant 2-3 seeds per 4-6 inch spacing directly in the garden, sowing 0.5 inch deep in organic, well-drained soil.
Harvesting
Pick berries when they turn deep red and give slightly to the touch, indicating full ripeness and maximum sweetness. The one-inch fruits will develop their characteristic perfumed aroma when ready. Harvest regularly to encourage continued production throughout the season.
Pruning
These compact strawberry plants require minimal pruning since they don't produce runners like traditional strawberries. Simply remove any dead or damaged foliage to maintain plant health and appearance.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Fragaria vesca
Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Fragaria
Growth Habit
Bush
Native Status
L48 (N)HI (I)CAN (N)
History & Origin
“The Mignonette strawberry represents the French tradition of cultivating alpine strawberries, also known as wild strawberries or fraises des bois. This heirloom variety preserves the intense flavor and compact growing habit of mountain strawberries that have been treasured in European gardens for centuries. As a cultivar of Fragaria vesca, it maintains the authentic character of wild strawberries while offering the reliability needed for garden cultivation.”