The term “pineberry” is a combination of “pineapple” and “strawberry,” and it refers to a new light pink or dull orange to white strawberry cultivar with scarlet achenes.
The pineberry, like the current Garden Strawberry, is a cross between Fragaria chiloensis, a wild South American strawberry, and the North American Fragaria Virginian strawberry (which grows wild in parts of the United States).
Some say that the pineberry is the result of genetic engineering, but it is the result of crossbreeding. White strawberries come in a variety of shapes and sizes (and new purple strawberries have also been developed).
In truth, a group of Dutch farmers “saved” a special strawberry type whose genetics contribute to pineberry’s remarkable appearance. The source material was unearthed in France. As some have claimed, they did not discover and save the pineberry from extinction in Chile. The pineberry plants’ vigor and quality were increased after six years of plant selection and cultivation, and the decision was made to start cultivating them for commercial production.
Are Pineberries Strawberries?
The red garden strawberry is related to pineberries. These plants were initially produced and selected for their unusual appearance and taste and are often regarded as strawberry cultivars. The Pineberry, like the typical garden strawberry, is a low-growing groundcover with runners (trailing vegetative growth).
The plant has a similar appearance to other typical strawberry bushes, down to the tiny white spring blossoms. Plants of the Wonderful Pineberry™ strawberry variety are partially self-pollinating, which means that one plant can set fruit without the need for cross-pollination from another variety, but it’s best to have another variety blooming nearby. Wind and bees help with pollination.
Wonderful Pineberry™, like other everbearing strawberry types, has an everbearing fruiting habit. If you’ve ever grown red strawberries, you’ll have no trouble growing Pineberries because the care and upkeep are the same.
How do Pineberries Differ from red strawberries?
The fruit is the most significant distinction between red strawberries and pineberries. Pineberry trees produce pink to white-hued fruits that are initially green in color. Fruit that receives more exposure to the sun may have a more noticeable pink blush.
The fruit is smaller than most current garden strawberries and has a lovely pineapple aroma and flavor. The Pineberry fruit is less enticing to birds than traditional strawberries because of its look.
Are Pineberries Real?
Pineberries are, in fact, genuine. Hans de Jongh, a strawberry breeder, owns the principal commercial cultivar, and Vital Berry BV in Made, Netherlands, sells the pineberries. Holland’s Beekers Berries is their supplier, and they cultivate them in very huge, commercial glasshouses.
While the fruits are commonly referred to as “pineberries,” the German word “ananaserdbeere,” which means pineapple strawberry, is also used to refer to them. After two instances placed doubt on the existence of pineberries, questions arose about their existence. Pineberries were only available in the UK from the Waitrose supermarket store company.
Waitrose revealed the new fruit offering soon before April 1 of the year in which they were to start offering pineberries on a limited basis. Because the shop chain has previously run “April Fools” advertisements for an obviously made-up “pinana” (pineapple banana), many felt the pineberry was a parody.
Prior to the Waitrose announcement, a search engine optimization company changed its name to Pineberry. The pineberry products displayed on the SEO firm’s websites were clearly not genuine. Because of these two events occurring at the same time, there was a lot of suspicion and uncertainty concerning the reality of pineapple strawberries.
Varieties of Pineberries
In comparison to the typical Garden Strawberry, pineberries have received an infinitesimally little amount of research and development. As a result, although there are hundreds of unique and productive strawberry types available today, there are just a few pineberry variants.
Outside of the Netherlands, the Vital Berry BV cultivar cannot currently be purchased as strawberry plants, plugs, or crowns for home gardening. However, in early 2014, Beekers Berries’ Berries @ Home will begin selling pineberry plants in the United States and Canada.
The cultivars ‘White Pine,’ ‘White Carolina,’ ‘White D,’ and ‘Natural Albino’ are among the pineberry varieties available.
· White Pine Pineberries
The White Pine pineberries are prolific, producing a large number of runners. Pineberries are becoming well-known for their distinctive red-seeded white strawberries, which have a subtle pineapple strawberry flavor. It’s a good idea to cultivate pineberries in a glass house or other growing system to keep the fleshy accessory tissue of the pineberries looking pale white. The taste won’t change much, but the fruits will become a bluish-pink color when exposed to direct sunlight.
· White Carolina
White Carolina is a less conventional pineberry cultivar. The pineberries that are exposed to direct sunlight will have a more noticeable pink flush than the others. This type is also prone to leaf scorch, which will almost certainly necessitate the use of fungicides to combat. Organic fungicides might or might not be enough to keep it under control. If and when pineberry research generates more hardy cultivars, this variety will most certainly be replaced.
· White D Pine Berries
White D pineberries are a Swedish invention with a promising future. It’s possible that the genetic features that control strawberry production have given this variety everbearing qualities. If that turns out to be the case as testing continues over the years, this variety will almost certainly become the most popular, at least until better cultivars are discovered. Another advantage of this pineberry is the size of its fruit. Its berries are often larger than pineberries of other types, despite the fact that it is still considered little. The perfume of this pineberry type is wonderful, and the pineapple flavor is subtle.
· Natural Albino
Natural Albino, a patented and distributed by Nourse Farms cultivar, is the newest pineberry type to enter commercial distribution. The berries still have the desired perfume and pineapple flavor, but they are rather small: around the size of a dime. In order to set any fruit, this type requires cross-pollination with a compatible strawberry pollinator. Sonata plants are sold in a 1:4 ratio with Natural Albino plants at Nourse Farms.
Uses of Pineberries
The fruits have ornamental interest and are recommended for growing as a food crop and also in beds or containers near patios or decks. The plants have little specific ornamental value and are usually grown exclusively as edible fruits. Vertical gardens or tower gardens. Plant for ground cover or as a border plant. Fruits can be eaten raw or prepared into a variety of meals, including pies and preserves. In the winter, container plants can be taken inside.
How can you Recognize Ripe Pineberries?
When red strawberries are ripe, it is easy to see. First, the strawberry is green, then turns white and ends as a beautiful red strawberry.
But how do you recognize a ripe pineberry? The pineberry starts as a white berry with green seeds. The berry gets rounder, and the seeds start to turn red. When the pineberry gets a light pink blush, it is ripe enough to eat. Carefully pick the pineberry as this berry is much more delicate than the average red strawberry. You might want to use a pair of scissors.
Growing Pineberries
What is the best way to grow pineberries? Pineberry plants are grown in the same way that strawberries are, with one exception. A pollinator strawberry must be nearby in order to yield the maximum potential crop of the distinguishing white fruits.
For pollination, it’s recommended to have one ordinary strawberry plant for every four plants. Early results suggest that the Sonata type, in general, and the Natural Albino variety in particular, are the best pollinators for pineberries. Go here for additional information on cultivating pineberries and strawberries.
Planting Pineberry plants
When the soil is warm, the best time to plant new pineberry begins is in the spring. If you choose to plant in the fall, make sure to cover the seedlings with lots of mulch to protect them from frost.
Dig up the dirt and remove all weeds before planting your strawberry patch. Planting pineberry runners where nightshades like potatoes, tomatoes, or eggplant have previously grown is not suggested to avoid fungal infections harming your plants.
Where to Buy Pineberry from?
If you want to cultivate your own albino strawberries, finding pineberry beginnings can be difficult. Pineberry plants are frequently out of stock, even in large supermarkets. You can also try online stores like Amazon, albeit it is frequently said that it is ‘temporarily unavailable.’
If you’re lucky enough to come across these unusual strawberries, make sure to take proper care of them so you can enjoy a consistent supply of pineapple strawberries year after year.
Where to Buy Pineberry Seeds?
Pineberry seeds can also be purchased online if you want to attempt growing your own white strawberry plants. It’s crucial to realize, though, that pineberries are strawberry hybrids that aren’t genetically modified. As a result, you’re unlikely to be able to grow pure pineberry white strawberries from seed, and you’ll most likely end up with a conventional red strawberry plant instead.
Nutritional Value of Pineberry
In terms of edible fruits and berries, the pineberry is a newcomer. Because pineberry is a cross between two strawberry kinds, we can expect it to have some nutritional similarities; however, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is yet to publish official nutritional statistics for the pineberry.
When it comes to ordinary red strawberries, 100 g of small strawberries (about 15 pineberries) provides nearly 100 percent of your vitamin C requirements. Pineberries and strawberries also have high fiber content in their seeds. 15 tiny strawberries provide 2 grams of fiber, which is 8% of your daily fiber requirement. Pineberries, like strawberries, may contain trace levels of other vitamins and minerals.
The antioxidant content is one of the distinctions between white and red strawberry fruits. The antioxidants anthocyanins are responsible for the red color of normal strawberries. Dark and red fruits can assist in lowering inflammation, oxidative stress, and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Pineberry fruits have similar antioxidant content as ordinary strawberries, according to indirect data. The Chilean white strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis), according to a 2018 study, is a semi-domesticated strawberry with high antioxidant activity and polyphenol content.
Final Thoughts
When ripe, today’s pineberries are quite mushy, and they don’t hold up well in transportation. In fact, the impossibility to keep them “fresh” from the growing place to the store is the main reason you are unlikely to see them on store shelves near you. As a result, home gardens are most likely the ideal site to cultivate them. Studies on cultivating organic strawberries suggest that the attention and nutrition acquired outside of a commercial setting often result in better fruits.
Currently, pineberry variants do not generate high enough yields or large enough berries to garner universal acceptance and extensively enter commercial markets, as the red-fleshed relative of the pineberry has. New types are expected to be bred now that they have been reintroduced. Those light pineberries could have a promising future if their distinctive flavor is preserved while their size, yield, and hardness grow.