Where can I find Cambridge Late Pine?

[J.V.]

Hi folks,

Does anyone know where I could get some plants (or seeds I suppose) of strawberry Cambridge Late Pine?

I've had a good look around, but no luck so far

thanks,

JV

[DannyK]

Found this interesting site, which lists all varieties that are on sale and where to buy them. It doesn't even make it as "No longer available". Buy Strawberry Plants | Strawberry Plants .orgStrawberry Plants .org

Per RHS--"Last listed in Plantfinder 2008"!

[J.V.]

Thanks, that looks like a useful site!

It really does look as though it may not be available anymore

I did email Ken Muir as I seemed to recall they sold it a few years back and had a nice reply that included: "Having had quiet a few enquiries about this variety we are now looking for good stock from which we can propagate, this in turn could take several years before we are able to market them once again."

I hope someone does make it available again.

JV

[chrisdb]

I guess it's an older variety?

I understand that strawberry varieties tend to have less staying power than, for example, fruit trees due to the historical difficulty of maintaining the stock. Many (most?) of the most esteemed Victorian varieties have been lost, for example. The only variety from the Victorian era listed in Forgotten Fruits as still available is Royal Sovereign, from 1892.

I assume this has to do with the very limited productive life of a strawberry plant, which means many more 'generations' per century than for almost any other soft fruit.

[Bigmallly]

Not exactly Cambridge Late Pine but is a cross:

Laura Strawberry Plants - Chris Bowers

[Kirk]

I see that Brogdale is listed as holding 400 fruit varieties and they are the National Collection. However it say Fruit Collection and strawberry's are not mentioned as a specific group, equally they do not mention all that many anyway, about 8-10.

On June 12 this is being held:
Strawberry Fair

With it says fruit from the Brogdale collection and local nursery's.

Just wondering if it is worth an email to Brogdale asking about Cambridge Late Pine.
I have no idea if Brogdale are good or bad at responding to an email enquiry, I sort of half suspect not great. You could try a phone call to enquire about a specific person or section to send to rather then a general enquiry.

Cannot locate anything specific for National Strawberry Collection and Brogdale keeps appearing.

[J.V.]

I guess it's an older variety?

I understand that strawberry varieties tend to have less staying power than, for example, fruit trees due to the historical difficulty of maintaining the stock. Many (most?) of the most esteemed Victorian varieties have been lost, for example. The only variety from the Victorian era listed in Forgotten Fruits as still available is Royal Sovereign, from 1892.

I assume this has to do with the very limited productive life of a strawberry plant, which means many more 'generations' per century than for almost any other soft fruit.

Yes it is an older one (mid-1900s?). Royal Sovereign is the oldest I am aware of too. Virus has done for all of the really old sorts. But there are others from the same sort of era as Late Pine, so I am still hopeful of finding some somewhere. I have some modern sorts, but I do enjoy growing older varieties of fruit and veg.

[J.V.]

Not exactly Cambridge Late Pine but is a cross:

Laura Strawberry Plants - Chris Bowers

Thanks May be worth enquiring. There must still be stock of it, just not readily available to the public...

[J.V.]

Kirk - good idea; I should have thought to enquire with Brogdale - doh!

[DannyK]

Maybe it's just commercial pressure as virus free stock can be raised using meristem culture.

Maybe one day they'll breed a commercial variety that is tasty.

[swaine]

Hi ,I have the Cambridge late pine and a couple of hundred other varieties of strawberries I only tend to keep 2-4 plants of each variety

I'll take a look at what I have at the very latest I can get you a couple of plants July

Stew

[J.V.]

Wow, that would be great - thanks

"couple of hundred" - that's impressive! Are you breeding them?

[swaine]

No problem it's a variety I get asked a lot about, I do have a reasonable amount of pre 1900 varieties

I do breed and experiment with the strawberry collection as best an amateur can


collection

Wow, that would be great - thanks

"couple of hundred" - that's impressive! Are you breeding them?

[danny31]

Do you still have these?

Hi, I have just been asked by a friend on the continent if I could help him to find some really flavoursome old strawberry varieties. He mentioned Cambridge Late Pine and Sir Joseph Paxton as ones he hopes to track down. It would be great to hear from you if you could offer some leads. Many thanks

[Rosendalemark]

The best strawberries I ever grew

Hi ,I have the Cambridge late pine and a couple of hundred other varieties of strawberries I only tend to keep 2-4 plants of each variety

I'll take a look at what I have at the very latest I can get you a couple of plants July

Stew

Hi Stew,
I appreciate this is an old thread but I thought I’d try my luck. Cambridge Late Pine were the best strawberries I ever grew. And I stupidly didn’t keep any runners. Any help would be hugely appreciated. By me and everyone I fed these brilliant berries to!