Ornamental Strawberry
Rainbow Treasure Strawberry is a cold-hardy alpine strawberry variety (Fragaria vesca) that thrives in zones 3 through 10, offering reliable harvests across a wide range of climates. These petite berries are everbearing, producing fruit consistently from late spring through fall rather than concentrating into a single early-summer flush. Plant them 8 inches apart in full sun with moderate water and slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5-6.5), and you'll have fresh strawberries on the table for months. The variety's frost-hardy nature and adaptability make it an excellent choice for gardeners seeking extended harvests without the fuss of replanting annually.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-10
?in H x ?in W
Perennial
High
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Alpine strawberries like Rainbow Treasure are smaller and more delicate than their commercial cousins, but they compensate with intense flavor and the remarkable ability to produce flowers and fruit throughout the growing season. Unlike June-bearing varieties that exhaust themselves in a 2-3 week sprint, this everbearing type gives you daily pickings from late spring straight through fall, turning a single planting into a season-long harvest. Their compact size and prolific nature make them equally at home in small spaces, containers, or garden beds, and their frost-hardiness in zones 3-10 means northern gardeners can finally enjoy strawberries without the winter kill that defeats so many attempts.
Rainbow Treasure strawberries are fresh-eating berries, best harvested when fully red and enjoyed immediately or refrigerated for short-term storage. Their small size and intense flavor make them particularly suited to fresh consumption, garnishing desserts, or adding to summer salads where their delicate appearance and taste can shine. The everbearing habit means you harvest daily in small quantities rather than processing large batches, encouraging fresh eating over preservation.
Sow seeds indoors approximately 2 months before your last frost date. Germinate at 60-75°F under consistent moisture and light conditions. Transplant seedlings into larger containers when they develop true leaves.
Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors after the last frost date, spacing plants 8 inches apart in all directions. If planting bare root stock, dig individual planting holes and set the crown at soil level, then water thoroughly to settle soil around the roots.
Direct seed outdoors as soon as soil warms in spring, pressing seeds onto moist soil surface (they need light to germinate).
Strawberries are fully ripe when they turn completely red, though leaves covering the shoulders may prevent full color development. Plan to harvest daily once berries start turning red, as alpine varieties are small and ripen continuously. Pinch or gently twist berries from the plant to harvest, leaving the green cap attached. Refrigerate immediately after harvest on a single layer on a tray or plate to preserve quality and extend storage life.
Pinch off all blossoms of everbearing varieties until July 1st of the first year; this redirects the plant's energy into establishing a strong root system and runner development rather than early fruiting. After July 1st, allow flowers to develop and mature into fruit. Remove dead leaves and runners as needed to maintain plant vigor and reduce disease pressure.
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