Strawberry 'Lipstick'

Questions about strawberry 'Lipstick'

Does strawberry 'Lipstick' need sun or shade?

Strawberry 'Lipstick' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day) and part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does strawberry 'Lipstick' grow in?

USDA zones 4 to 8. It is hardy to zone 4, which means it survives winter nights down to about −20 °F (−29 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does strawberry 'Lipstick' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers mid May to early September. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should strawberry 'Lipstick' be planted?

16 in (40 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 24 in (60 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 6 in (15 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many strawberry 'Lipstick' plants do I need?

At 16 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 7 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 8 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 21 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as threes and fives, along the front and just behind it.

In the bed above, the planner used six in two groups.

Is strawberry 'Lipstick' poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to the ASPCA.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

Is there a native plant like strawberry 'Lipstick'?

Strawberry 'Lipstick' is not native to North America. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Wild strawberry: the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers early May to early June, white, not pink.
• Robin's plantain 'Lynnhaven Carpet': the same job in a bed; 4 in narrower, flowers early May to late May.
• Creeping phlox: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers mid April to mid May, fine leaves, not medium.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Will strawberry 'Lipstick' spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is moderate. Spreads by runners that root as they go. Trim the edges once or twice a year.

What flowers after strawberry 'Lipstick'?

Strawberry 'Lipstick' is over by early September. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Garden chrysanthemum: from mid September to late October, 24 in tall.
• Autumn crocus: from mid September to mid October, 5 in tall.
• Meadow saffron: from mid September to mid October, 6 in tall.

What does strawberry 'Lipstick' look like in winter?

Strawberry 'Lipstick' holds some of its leaves into winter, more in a mild year or a sheltered spot, and they look tired by March. Cut the old ones off as new growth starts.