berry perennial
Jewel strawberry
A dependable matted-row strawberry for cold-winter gardens.
Growing Profile
- Hardiness
- Zones 4a-8a
- Sun
- Full
- Soil
- Loam
- Water
- Medium
- Planting depth
- Set the crown at soil level; burying the crown can rot the plant.
- Container min
- 2+ gal (good)
- Goals
- Fruit
Harvest & Use
- Window
- large June-bearing berries
- Yield return
- 0.8-2 lb/plant/year
- First output
- 0-1 yrs
- Best for
- Fruit
Harvest window: large June-bearing berries. Once established, the current pound-return model uses 0.8-2 lb/plant/year with a harvest window of 2-14 weeks.
Plant photos
What it looks like in the garden
Use these photos to compare the plant's leaves, stems, flowers, fruit, and overall habit before you buy or plant.
Photos show a representative plant in the garden. Fruit color, size, and growth habit can vary by cultivar, season, nursery stock, and site.
Photo sources: Suninkiri aru kamani / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
Quantitative Profile
- Pound return
- 0.8-2 lb/plant/year
- 10-year return
- 7.6-19 lb/10 yrs
- Full output
- 1-2 yrs
- Mature size
- 0.5-1 ft H x 1-2 ft W
- Spacing
- 1-1.5 ft in-row x 3-4 ft rows
- Planting depth
- Set the crown at soil level; burying the crown can rot the plant.
- Container min
- 2+ gal (good)
- Productive life
- 3-5 yrs
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Reliability
- 3/5
- Data quality
- Medium profile, Medium yield confidence
Pound return is the stock-style yield metric. These are planning ranges for comparing plants, not guarantees. Cultivar, rootstock, climate, soil, pruning, pest pressure, and wildlife can move actual results.
Planting Checklist
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Right-size container with drainage
Containers / Before plantingUse a container large enough for mature roots, with open drainage holes to prevent root rot.
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Expanding container potting mix
Containers / Before plantingUse a lighter container medium instead of dense garden soil in pots and grow bags.
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Bird netting
Protection / Before ripeningProtect ripening berries, grapes, cherries, figs, and other bird-attractive fruit.
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Fruit tree and berry fertilizer
Nutrition / After establishmentSupport fruiting wood, bloom, and recovery after establishment once soil needs are known.
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Soil test kit or lab mailer
Site prep / Before plantingCheck pH and baseline nutrients before adding amendments, especially for fruiting crops, native beds, and acid-loving plants.
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Plant labels
Planning / Planting dayTrack cultivar, planting date, and variety when comparing harvests or pollination partners.
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Organic mulch
Soil / After plantingHold soil moisture, suppress weeds, moderate soil temperature, and protect shallow roots.
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Hand trowel
Tools / Planting dayPlant starts, herbs, flowers, bulbs, and smaller container plants at the right depth.
Yield curve
Estimated Pound Return
Projected annual yield ramp from establishment to full production, using the current sourced range for Jewel strawberry.
- Year 1
- 0.4-1 lb First-year estimate from the sourced curve.
- Year 5
- 0.8-2 lb
- Year 10
- 0.8-2 lb
- 10-year total
- 7.6-19 lb/10 yrs
Shaded band shows the sourced low-to-high pound-yield range. The line tracks the midpoint for quick comparison.
Method: direct pound yield from crop metric source. Annual crops assume one comparable planting per year; perennial crops ramp from first bearing to full production.
Planting Strategy
- Planting depth: Set the crown at soil level; burying the crown can rot the plant.
- Container minimum: 2+ gal (good). Use 2+ gal per plant or a wider trough with crowns at soil level.
- Start with one plant when testing fit in a new bed or container.
- Plant more than one when harvest volume or pollination is the main goal.
- Use the pairing map below to choose nearby companions or compatible varieties.
Risk Factors
- Match the site first: full light, loam soil, and medium water.
- Use 1-1.5 ft in-row x 3-4 ft rows as the first spacing model; adjust for hedges, trellises, containers, or local guidance.
- Plan around mature size: 0.5-1 ft H x 1-2 ft W.
- For harvest planning, treat "large June-bearing berries" and 0.8-2 lb/plant/year as planning ranges, not guarantees.
- Local drainage, pests, chill hours, wildlife pressure, and microclimates can change the result.
Related Planning Guides
Comparable Plants
Companion Plants & Pairings
Compatible Cultivars
Borage is a traditional strawberry companion because it flowers heavily and pulls pollinators into low fruiting beds.
Use it: Use one or two borage plants near the bed edge; borage can get large and should not shade strawberry crowns.
Sources & Methodology
This guide combines hardiness range, light, soil, water, harvest timing, traits, source listings, plant relationships, and quantitative planning metrics. Pairings are screened for practical garden fit.
Quantitative values use extension and botanical-reference ranges where available. For less-studied cultivars, similar crops fill gaps conservatively. Ranges are intentionally broad so the profile stays useful without pretending to be exact.
Quantitative sources: University of Minnesota Extension - Growing Strawberries in the Home GardenUtah State Extension - How to Grow Strawberries in Your GardenNC State Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxK-State Extension Master Gardener Handbook - Herbaceous PlantsUniversity of Minnesota Extension - Growing Strawberries in the Home Garden
Source listing: Stark Bro's. Search links are not paid placements unless explicitly marked; affiliate listings may earn a commission. Last reviewed: 2026-05-24.