Make Way for First White Strawberry in the U.S.
December 1, 2020 
The new white strawberry from UF/IFAS does not have a name yet. For now, it’s known as ‘FL 16.78-109’.
Photo by Cristina Carrizosa
There’s nothing quite like biting into a juicy, bright red strawberry. The same now can be said about a white strawberry. According to plant breeders at the University of Florida, the new berry is not only unique in color, but also smells a little like a pineapple. And to top all that off, it will be the first white strawberry to go to market in the U.S.
In addition to the white strawberry, UF/IFAS is releasing another cultivar (red, in case you were wondering).
Neither variety has a name yet. So far, they’re known as ‘FL 16.78-109’ (the white strawberry) and ‘FL 16.30-128’ (the red strawberry), notes Vance Whitaker, a UF/IFAS berry breeder and Associate Professor of horticultural sciences.
“Because the white strawberry is being test-marketed this year, there has been a lot of interest in it,” Whitaker says. “The flavor is very different from a typical strawberry, sweet but with a pineapple-like aroma. White strawberries have been popular for some time in Japan, but this is expected to be the first white strawberry on the market in the U.S.”
Back Story on UF/IFAS’ White Strawberry
In 2012, strawberry seeds from Japan were sown at the University of Florida, and a few small plants recovered. The pollen from these plants were crossed with a Florida variety. The seedlings from this cross-produced fruit that ranged from white to pink to red, Whitaker said.
“Commercial trials have been promising so far,” he said. “Pickers can tell when the fruit is ripe when a slight pink blush develops on the side of the fruit that is most exposed to the sun, and when most of the seeds turn red. By 2022, these new white strawberries should be available in U.S. grocery stores. They will probably be marketed as ‘pineberries’ because of the pineapple aroma.”
Along with the novel white strawberry, UF/IFAS plant breeders have another cultivar ready for release (‘FL 16.30-128’).
Photo by Cristina Carrizosa
Red and White All Over
Whitaker also remarks about the consistently even red color and conical shape of the new red variety, making the fruit more attractive. “The new red strawberry is notable for its outstanding flavor,” Whitaker says. “Because of its high sugar level, it tastes somewhat similar to ‘Sensation’, which is currently one of the leading varieties in Florida, yet with a more intense flavor due to the fruit’s higher acid content.”
UF/IFAS researchers and the Florida Strawberry Growers Association estimate strawberries generate about $300 million annually for those who farm them.
Out of the 10,000 acres of strawberries in West-Central Florida, the new red strawberry may occupy as much as 300 acres in Florida during the 2021-2022 season, and if it continues to perform well, that number could grow.
The white strawberry, or “pineberry,” will be grown on fewer acres since it is a new specialty product. It will take time for farmers to become comfortable growing it, and it will also take time to educate consumers about the new berry.
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