Fragaria × Potentilla hybrids
While presently lacking formal botanical nomenclature, there are several commercially important hybrids between Fragaria and Potentilla species in existence:
The Pink Panda Strawberry®, also known as 'Frel', is a patented hybrid strawberry that is the result of crossing the Marsh Cinquefoil, Potentilla palustris, and the Beach Strawberry, followed by backcrossing to strawberry. The plant is grown for ornamental purposes. It has pale pink flowers (in contrast to the white flowers of naturally occurring strawberry species) and it occasionally produces small strawberries. A newer selection, 'Franor' (marketed as 'Red Ruby Strawberry') developed as a sport of 'Frel', and features a more intense red color in the flowers.
'Gerald Straley' is a seedling of 'Pink Panda', selected at Heronswood Nursery in Washington for its bright red flowers. It was named after the former curator of the University of British Columbia Botanical Gardens.
The Lipstick Strawberry® is a recently developed variety that is the result of a cross between the Marsh Cinquefoil, Potentilla palustris, and the Garden Strawberry. It has deep pink to red flowers, and slightly larger, more flavorful berries than 'Pink Panda'. It, too, is grown for ornamental purposes.
All commercial cultivars resemble strawberries more closely than they do cinquefoils. They are all vigorous, and produce runners profusely.
These hybrids are decaploid, having eight sets of chromosomes from their strawberry parent, and 2 sets of chromosomes from their cinquefoil parent.
Literature
- D. J. Mabberley: Potentilla and Fragaria (Rosaceae) reunited, Telopea 9(4): 793-801, 2002
