Abstract

1. Early-rooted runners of Auchincruive Climax, Royal Sovereign and Sir Joseph Paxton strawberries, grown near Dundee, began to form flower primordia approximately in early August, early to mid-September and late September respectively. In one year a few early Climax runners flowered in autumn.
2. First-year plants of Royal Sovereign formed primordia at the same time as, or slightly before, new runners. Those of Paxton did so 2-3 weeks sooner than their runners. Those of Climax either formed flower primordia in late June and July, the resultant inflorescences flowering shortly afterwards, or grew vegetatively until mid-September, when most first-year plants of this variety began to form inflorescences for the following year.
3. Dates of flowering, and numbers of flowers borne, varied with the positions of origin of inflorescences on the crown. Inflorescences in small axillary buds seldom reached maturity.