Framberry

Fragaria × ananassa ‘Mieze Schindler’

One of the rarest strawberry varieties in the world! The Framberry, also known as the raspberry strawberry due to the peculiar shape of its fruit—somewhere between a strawberry and a raspberry—is characterized by producing small strawberries with an incredibly sweet flavor. Mieze Schindler is an old variety originally developed by the German breeder Otto Schindler in 1925. Since 2013, an improved, self-fertile version of this strawberry has been marketed under the current, new commercial name Framberry.

Framberry plants produce strawberries that are smaller than a common commercial variety, but not as small as wild strawberries. These little strawberries stand out for their excellent and unique flavor, have a beautiful dark red color, a more rounded shape, and are characterized by a plump exterior with deeper achenes. On the other hand, Framberry fruits have a softer texture, similar to raspberries, and therefore a shorter shelf life after harvesting.

Despite its highly prized flavor, the Framberry Mieze Schindler was nearly extinct, but some plants managed to survive in amateur gardens in the former German Democratic Republic until they were reintroduced as a commercial variety by a Dutch farmer in the 21st century.

Available from mid-March

Harvested during the summer.