Organic Florence Strawberry Plant

Technical sheet for the Florence strawberry variety

• Remontant: Non-Remontant
• Precocity: Late
• Harvest period: End of June to end of July
• Shape, texture, appearance of the Fruit: Fairly wide conical
• Fruit color: Bright red, dark when ripe
• Taste characteristics: Very aromatic
• Fruit Size: Very aromatic
• Disease resistance: Good disease resistance. Susceptible to sunburn.
• Yield, management and marketing: Good storage, high yield
• Recommended commercial use / marketing channel: Direct sales, Wholesale, Processing

Order your professional strawberry plants

Fraisiverse, a specialist wholesale supplier of strawberry plants , offers you the Florence variety, renowned for its superior quality and performance in professional cultivation. Buying your strawberry plants allows you to benefit from major advantages: producer prices , professional quality , production from specialized nurseries , fast and careful delivery throughout France , varietal resistance and high yield . Our Florence plants are selected for their exceptional size, their sweet flavor and their excellent post-harvest stability. Take advantage of our responsive sales department and our personalized advice to optimize your results. Order your plants now or reserve now to secure your supply. Take advantage of our producer prices and request a free quote to plan your plantings with peace of mind. Give your farm a quality advantage with robust and high-performance plants, ready to produce top-quality strawberries throughout the late season.

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Varietal characteristics and morphology of the Florence cultivar

The Florence strawberry is a non-remontant, short-day variety , originally from the United Kingdom, making it a late cultivar in the French production calendar. Its fruiting occurs in a single wave, generally 7 to 10 days later than the Elsanta variety , thus offering an opportunity to extend the summer harvest season.

Florence fruits are remarkable for their size and aesthetics. They are classified from large to very large , with an average weight per fruit varying from 20 to 22 grams , and can reach exceptional sizes of up to 60 grams for the first berries . Their shape is conical to slightly elongated, very regular, and their external color is an intense red to dark red, uniform and bright, particularly attractive on the stalls. The flesh, meanwhile, is red to light red, dense, homogeneous and juicy, without a marked white heart , guaranteeing an excellent presentation when cut.

Regarding texture, Florence is distinguished by a very firm and crisp flesh, with a penetration resistance measured between 1.2 and 1.7 Newtons , which gives it exceptional robustness during handling and transport. This firmness also ensures a pleasant, non-floury, even if it is not melting, mouthfeel. In terms of taste, Florence offers a very aromatic, sweet and fragrant flavor, considered superior to that of Darselect by its fruity profile and less acidic than references such as Elsanta. The plant itself is vigorous, which contributes to its general robustness in cultivation.

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Cultivation protocols and technical management

Adapted production systems

The Florence strawberry plant adapts to various professional cultivation methods, whether open field, tunnel cultivation or soilless systems in gutters or substrate bags. Its intrinsic robustness, in particular its resistance to root and fungal diseases, is a valuable asset for controlled systems where drainage and irrigation management are crucial. In soilless conditions, it even allows high densities to be achieved, up to 96 plants per square meter in double gutter systems, significantly increasing the yield per area. The plants can be established in different forms: fridge plants, in clods, or "waiting bed" type .

Reasoned fertilization and nutritional parameters

Proper fertilization management is essential to fully exploit Florence's potential. A guideline fertilization plan, based on professional standards for large-sized strawberries, recommends an application of 80 to 120 units of nitrogen (N) per hectare, 80 to 100 units of phosphorus (P₂O₅), and 150 to 200 units of potash (K₂O) per hectare per year. Phosphorus and most of the potash are ideally incorporated as a base dressing before planting, while nitrogen is split into 2 to 3 applications, from the start of vegetative growth to the beginning of fruiting. The integration of 30 to 50 tons per hectare of mature compost is strongly recommended upstream to improve soil structure and nutrient availability. An optimal soil pH between 5.5 and 6.0 is recommended for efficient nutrient uptake.

In soilless cultivation, the electrical conductivity (EC) of the nutrient solution must be maintained between 1.2 and 1.5 mS/cm in the vegetative phase and 1.5 to 2.0 mS/cm in the production phase . It is imperative not to exceed 2.0 mS/cm to avoid any loss of yield or quality due to salt stress. Irrigation must be regular to prevent any water stress. Furthermore, as Florence is sensitive to sunburn, shading may be necessary during periods of high heat, particularly when growing under cover.

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Productive performance and harvest schedule

The Florence strawberry plant is distinguished by its high and consistent yields . Under standard French conditions and with optimal management, an average production of 600 to 800 grams of strawberries per plant can be expected. For professional cultivation with a planting density of 40,000 to 50,000 plants per hectare, this translates into a potential yield of 24 to 40 tons per hectare . It is even mentioned that this variety can exceed 700-800 g per plant under optimal conditions, and even 1 kg/plant, allowing it to reach 35 tons per hectare .

As a late variety, the Florence harvest generally begins in the second half of June and extends until the end of July . The production period is intensive and can extend over 60 days , ensuring a prolonged supply of fresh fruit. Uniformity of size is a major asset, with a high rate of first category (Class I) fruit, generally above 90% , and a low waste rate of 8 to 15% at packaging. The majority of fruit, especially at peak production, falls within a homogeneous range of 30 to 40 grams , greatly facilitating sizing and packaging.

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Integrated plant health management and biological resistance

Natural resistance and pathological tolerance

The Florence variety has good general hardiness and notable resistance to many fungal diseases , particularly white rot and several foliar diseases. It also shows satisfactory tolerance to powdery mildew and the most common root diseases, including Phytophthora.

A crucial point for professionals is its tolerance, considered "moderately resistant", to Xanthomonas fragariae , the agent responsible for angular spots. Although no commercial variety is completely immune, Florence generally presents limited symptoms, and yield losses due to this disease are less than or equal to the average for susceptible varieties. Vigilance remains essential, and prophylactic practices (use of healthy plants, localized irrigation, disinfection of equipment) are always recommended to limit risks.

Pest Protection Strategies

Regarding common pests such as thrips, aphids, spider mites, weevils (Anthonomus), and Drosophila suzukii, Florence does not show any specific resistance. The management of these pests is based on standard integrated pest management methods , combining monitoring, prophylaxis, biological control (auxiliaries) and, if necessary, reasoned chemical interventions.

A notable feature of Florence is its excellent tolerance to picking injuries . Thanks to the high firmness of its fruits, mechanical damage is minimized during harvesting and transport. Professional feedback indicates a damage rate of less than 3% during careful hand picking, an undeniable asset for market quality and the reduction of post-harvest losses.

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Commercial promotion and professional feedback

The primary commercial use of the Florence strawberry is fresh consumption . Its superior fruit quality, characterized by a large size, a rich flavor and remarkable firmness, clearly destines it for the high-end snack fruit market . It is particularly suitable for desserts and fruit salads, meeting the expectations of demanding customers in short circuits, direct sales or specialized distribution.

Its excellent post-harvest storage properties, combined with excellent resistance to transport and handling , make it a preferred choice for long logistics circuits and large-scale distribution. These qualities considerably reduce losses and facilitate marketing.

Although its organoleptic qualities make it suitable for processing (jams, pastries), this is not its primary focus. Industrial markets often favor varieties with other production or cost criteria, and Florence is primarily valued for its immediate consumption. The high rate of Class I fruit (>90%) maximizes marketable yield, directly contributing to the farm's profitability. Production spread over 60 days allows for efficient logistics planning and continuous supply, a competitive advantage in the fresh market.

Professionals who have grown Florence unanimously appreciate its reliability and the consistent quality of its fruit . They consider it a robust variety, whose well-sized fruits with impeccable presentation are easily marketable. The combination of good disease resistance and excellent post-harvest stability makes it a reliable option for limiting losses and optimizing the added value of production. Many reviews highlight its ability to extend the harvest season for quality strawberries , which is a significant economic advantage. Its fruity and less acidic taste is also very well received by consumers.

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To summarize: Our Florence strawberry plants

At Fraisiverse , we offer you Florence strawberry plants, a late variety appreciated for its large fruits, its sweet flavor and its exceptional firmness. As a specialist wholesale supplier of strawberry plants , we ensure the quality and regularity of your supply. The Florence variety is distinguished by its high yield, which can reach 35 t/ha, and by its tolerance to the main fungal and root diseases. Our role as a specialist wholesale supplier of strawberry plants guarantees you a professional choice, adapted to the requirements of demanding producers. Whether you want to buy Florence strawberry plants for open field cultivation, tunnel cultivation or soilless cultivation, we offer you plants from specialized nurseries and ready to offer excellent productivity. The fruits, an intense and uniform red, have a rate of over 90% class I, ensuring optimal marketing. Using Fraisiverse as your specialist strawberry plant wholesale supplier allows you to benefit from reliable logistics, precise technical monitoring, and healthy plants. Buying Florence strawberry plants means choosing a partner who understands your challenges, enhances your harvests, and secures your season. Thanks to our experience, we help you purchase Florence strawberry plants under the best conditions to maximize yield and quality.