Do All Strawberry Flowers Turn into Strawberries?

Last Updated on February 15, 2023 by Derek

Not all strawberry flowers become strawberries. If the plant begins flowering too early, the fruit and harvest may not be pleasing. Sometimes, you may grow a strawberry plant from a bare-root or plant the strawberry crowns only. When this happens, the plant will need time for establishment before it starts to bear fruit.

A strawberry farmer can solve this by cutting off premature flowers before becoming strawberries. It is good to remove the flowers once every week until they are established and ready to produce healthy fruit.

Does a strawberry flower always turn into a strawberry?

A strawberry plant flourishes when it reaches maturity and size, typically between April and June. The appearance of its white, five-petaled flowers is a sign that fruiting is about to commence – a natural progression in most healthy strawberry plants.

But not every flower will transform into fruit. External factors such as temperature, light, soil nutrition, and water play a role in the fruiting process. For instance, harsh heat or cold can limit the amount of flowers or fruit a plant produces.

Some strawberry varieties are more fruit-bearing than others, and the variety also affects the size and quality of the fruit. Although a strawberry flower may not always turn into fruit, providing the right conditions will result in a plentiful harvest.

Thus, it is crucial to tend to your strawberry plants appropriately and choose a variety that suits your growing conditions.

Growing Strawberries – Penn State

Video – How do strawberry flowers turn into strawberry fruits?

Are Strawberry Flowers Edible?

Strawberry flowers are edible. The flowers are edible raw, and some people mix them in salads. Most people are unaware that they can eat strawberry flowers and only wait for the fruit. 

Here are some varieties of strawberries.

Table – Which parts of the strawberry plant are edible?

Type of strawberry	Flowers edible	Blooming season
Albion Strawberry	The flower is edible	They start blooming in late spring all through fall. The plants are everbearing fruit They are resistant to heat and can do well in hot summer climates. They are also frost-resistant and look evergreen in frosty regions. Requires acidic soils.
Allstar strawberries	The flowers are edible	It is a June-bearing strawberry, and flowering starts in late spring, and the yield is in full in early summer. Grows best in full sun and moist environment Well-drained soils; you can consider planting in a container if the soil is not well-drained.
Ozark Beauty strawberries	Flowers are edible	It’s an everbearing plant. Blooming starts in late spring, to frost. Farmers get more yield in summer and fall between June and September. It does well in sunny conditions and rich alkaline soil.
Tristar strawberry	Flowers are fit for human consumption	The blooming season is late spring, all through summer to fall. The growing requirements are average water, loamy, fertile, and well-drained soils, neutral pH.
Earliglow strawberry	Edible flowers	They start to bloom as early as June, zones four all to 8. The highest harvest is in the first three weeks. Planting in the fall means a yield later. What parts of strawberry plants are edible?

Can you eat first-year strawberries?

No, you cannot eat strawberries in the first year of planting. The plants need to take time and establish themselves for better yield. You have to cut off the first flowers as they come to give the plants time to grow.

The initial plant will raise other plants for better yield the next year instead of producing fruits. So instead of looking forward to strawberries in the first year, you need to concentrate on increasing harvest for the subsequent years. 

Infographic – Types of strawberries

Strawberry Flowers – GOV

Which state produces most strawberries?

According to 2021 statistics, California leads the States in the producing strawberries. It’s estimated more than 80% of all strawberry fruits grown in America are grown in California.

Its warm, sunny climate and efficient agriculture industry make it the perfect place for growing strawberries. The state’s expansive coastal areas provide just the right growing conditions for cultivating strawberries. These conditions include rich soil, mild temperatures, and water access.

I Have Strawberry Flowers but No Fruit

It is common to notice that your strawberry plants are not producing despite your effort. Many farmers will attribute the problem to the plants, which may not always be the case. Several factors can cause a strawberry plant not to fruit correctly.

Poor growing conditions could be one reason. Strawberry plants require well-drained, organic soils and a mixture of warm and excellent conditions for proper growth. Lack of these conditions may affect their production.

Poor watering could also be a problem; if you put either too little or too much water. Inappropriate use of fertilizers and pest infestation could affect the plants’ production. 

How long after flowering do strawberries appear?

Strawberry plants will take four to six weeks to produce fruits after flowering. You can taste it to test if it is ready. To avoid damaging the fruit or the plant, cut it instead of plucking. The preparation and waiting for the bloom might take months, but the result will be worth the effort.

How to Stop Strawberry Flowers Drying Up

There are many instances when strawberry flowers dry up. This happens due to different conditions. As a farmer, you can stop this problem by checking on the soil conditions, and other factors that may be causing the flowers to dry.

Dry soil

If the strawberry plants dry out due to dry soil, it will cause the flower to wither. The flowers are likely to dry up in hot summers or low rain seasons. A farmer can stop this by watering the plants regularly when there is no rain. 

Consistent watering

Inconsistent watering can cause strawberry blossoms to dry up before forming fruits. Consistent watering will help stop the flowers from drying up. If the plant contains getting adequate water, it will start drawing from other parts, including flowers.

Pest control

Pests may sometimes be responsible for the withering of the flowers. They may damage the stem and cut the water supply and nutrients to the buds. Check for marks, damage, or dents on the barks, then make an effort to control the pests before they can cause further damage. 

Common Name	Botanical Name	Soil pH Range	Soil Type	Sunshine	Growing Zones	Planting Season	When to Pick
Strawberry	Fragaria x ananassa	6.0 – 7.0	Well-draining, moist	Full sun	3-10	Fall or early spring	Mid-spring to early summer

FAQ relating to Strawberry Flowers and fruit

Why Are My Strawberry Flowers Turning Brown?

Botrytis disease or grey mold causes strawberry flowers to turn brown. The flower petals and stems start displaying the symptoms when they blossom. If you do not control the disease, the flowers die out.

• Space the plants to allow them to dry faster after rain.
• Avoid watering from above the plants.
• Stagnant water is harmful to the plant. Apply just enough water to avoid saturating the soil.
• Fertilize appropriately to enable the plants, especially in the late summer, to withstand diseases and promote growth during fall. 
• Avoid growing strawberries on the same land repeatedly. Grey mold comes from a fungus that stays on the old leaves in the soil. 

Check the flowers weekly and remove any blooming flowers. It would help cut off the first flowers to allow the plants to establish themselves for a better outcome later.

Strawberry pests

Should I Pinch off Strawberry Flowers?

Pinching off the flower gives the plant time to grow without distractions. It would help cut the flower stalk rather than pull it off to avoid damaging the plant.

Should I pick the flowers off my strawberry plants?

Yes, it would help if you eradicated all the blossoms from your strawberry plants as soon as they appeared. If you let the flowers become fruits, it will affect the plant’s growth size of the subsequent yield and reduce runners’ production. 

Do strawberry flowers turn into fruit?

In principle, flowers should produce fruit but is dependent on various factors such as water, soil type, temperature and lack of disease or pests. Any one, or a combination of them, could mean that fruits will not be plentiful and probably small.

Other resources relating to strawberry flowers:

A Guide To Strawberry Flowers – Workshopedia

Strawberry Flowers – Backyard Nature

Strawberry Flowers Are Astonishing | FloraQueen

Strawberry Flowers Have Turned Pink – Melinda Myers