If you've heard of one variety of Oregon strawberry, it's probably the Hood! Hood strawberries have evolved as the gold standard in sweet, juicy flavor among Oregon strawberry lovers. Available for an extremely short window of 2 to 3 weeks right at the beginning of berry season, these medium sized berries are known for their high sugar content and deep red color throughout. When ripe, they are much softer in texture than other varieties, and need to be eaten fresh or used in jams or baking within hours of being picked. Introduced in 1965, and named for Oregon's majestic Mt Hood, these berries have many varietals in their parentage, including Puget Beauty and OSC 2315. The plants can be vigorous and productive, but also hard to grow.
