Rhapsody in taste for a strawberry favourite
IT WAS bred for Queensland conditions and Queensland taste, and this year Sunshine Coast growers have helped make the Red Rhapsody’ one of the superstars of the Australian strawberry industry.
The Queensland consumer who walks into a fruit store this summer will almost certainly be greeted by the fragrance of the Albion strawberry or the San Andreas – old favourites being grown in Stanthorpe right now – which produce a large fruit with a sweet smell.
“You know when you walk into a shop full of Albion strawberries because they have a beautiful fragrance,’’ says farmer Brendon Hoyle.
But it’s the Red Rhapsody which has taken the strawberry world by storm.
The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries developed the strand over several years and owns the Plant Breeders Rights or the “PBR” – the horticultural equivalent of the copyright.
Jen Rowling, development officer with Queensland Strawberry Growers, said the popularity of the Red Rhapsody soared this year. SWEET TREAT: Sienna Adamson, 5, and sister Caitlin Adamson, 9, enjoy a feast of strawberries after a swim. Albion: Large, red fruit with full fragrance and readily available. Suncoast Delight: Large conical shaped fruit, generally deep red in colour but easily bruised. Red Rhapsody: Trialled in the 2015 season and has proven extremely popular in Queensland (largely Sunshine Coast). Extra large, glossy dark red fruit with pleasant sweet flavour. Sundrench: Still on trial but with strong grower interest. Large fruit from a plant with a high yield potential and dark in colour. Parisienne Kiss: On trial but promising. Red glossy fruit with broad-conical shape and good flavour. But the fruit has soft flesh susceptible to rain. Festival: Produced by the University of Florida. Produces a bright red, conical shaped fruit which grows on long stems and is easily harvested. Florida Fortuna: Another from the University of Florida. Large aromatic fruit, firm and juicy, with a glossy skin.