Topic: My First Pineberries

[winecap]

Thought about growing pineberries a couple of years ago, but a post on here made me reconsider whether they were worth the money. End of last year I picked up some free runners though so thought I had nothing to loose. Now I finally get to taste them, and yes they taste rather like an unripe strawberry. Definitely an anticlimax. The woodlice seem to like them though.

[Digeroo]

Are you sure they were ripe enough?  When they do not go red it must be difficult to know when they are  ready.  .

[Bing]

pineberry is white and covered in red pips and has the same genetic make-up as the common strawberry but with a flavour and ''extraordinary'' smell closer to that of the pineapple

[squeezyjohn]

My pine berries set little to no fruit under the same conditions that strawberries do well in - and the fruit it did make was flavourless.

I have to say that I think they're a bit of a con.

[winecap]

Are you sure they were ripe enough?  When they do not go red it must be difficult to know when they are  ready.  .

They turn red just around the seed but the main body of the fruit stays white. I think that means they are ready but if anybody knows otherwise do let us know.

[Jayb]

Mine aren't ready yet, but from memory Winecaps description sounds about right, although I remember some of the white fruits blushed a pale pink when very ripe. The colour change is quite subtle and they need to be soft. Must admit I thought the taste was lovely much like the wild type 
Try letting some ripen further and see if they are better?

[GrannieAnnie]

  I just tasted our very first Pineberry. Oh my! It was the most flavorful strawberry I can remember. I let it get blushed pink and soft as someone suggested in this thread, and yes, it had delicious pineappley flavor. Yes, it is small compared to other regular strawberries we've grown, but definitely superior taste treat.

It was bought from Burpee along with two other Alpine strawberries: Purple Wonder and Elan.  I've only tasted one berry from each so far and those were packed with flavor as well. Those two have larger berries than Pineberry. They're sending out runners now so next year I may be able to share some with my husband