Camarosa
A vigorous, high-yielding short-day variety from the University of California, Davis, with large, firm, dark-red conical fruit that ships well — one of the most widely planted varieties in Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Strawberry
- Type
- Runner plant (tissue-culture / certified)
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- ~150–170 days
- Expected yield
- High (among the highest-yielding varieties grown in India)
- Suitable soil
- Well-drained sandy loam on a raised, black-plastic-mulched bed
- Release
- Bred and released by the University of California, Davis in 1994
About this variety
Camarosa was bred by the University of California, Davis strawberry breeding programme and released in 1994 from the cross 'Douglas' × Cal 85.218-605. It is a vigorous, high-yielding short-day variety producing large, firm, dark-red, conical fruit with good shelf life and transport tolerance, which made it one of the most commercially significant strawberry varieties worldwide through the 1990s and 2000s. In India it is not an ICAR-bred release — it reaches growers as certified planting material multiplied by nurseries in Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani (Maharashtra), where it remains one of the most widely planted varieties alongside Winter Dawn and Sweet Charlie, and is also grown on the northern plains around Punjab, Haryana and Delhi-NCR.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Spacing30×30 cm on raised beds 1–1.2 m wide, through black plastic mulch
- FertilizerFYM plus basal P and K at bed preparation; nitrogen split at ~3 weeks and at flowering, full potash at flowering (see the crop guide for the full schedule)
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Well-drained sandy loam rich in organic matter, pH 5.7–6.5
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
~150–170 days
Expected yield
High (among the highest-yielding varieties grown in India)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Major pests
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- High, reliable yield with large, firm fruit that tolerates handling and transport better than many other varieties — well suited to sending fruit to distant city markets.
- A long, proven commercial track record in Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani specifically, so local nurseries and buyers are familiar with its fruit and growing needs.
Things to consider
- Not an ICAR-bred Indian release — planting material must be sourced fresh each year from a certified nursery, not farm-saved.
- No specific documented resistance to grey mould or red stele; relies on the same raised-bed, drip-and-mulch management every strawberry variety needs in India.
Suitable regions
An imported American cultivar, not an ICAR release, grown commercially across Mahabaleshwar–Panchgani and the northern plains via certified nurseries.
- Maharashtra
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Uttar Pradesh
- Delhi
Frequently asked questions
Is Camarosa an Indian-bred strawberry variety?
No — it was bred by the University of California, Davis and released in 1994. It reaches Indian growers as certified planting material multiplied by nurseries in Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani, chosen because its short-day breeding suits an Indian winter, not because it is an Indian release.
Why is Camarosa specifically valued for fruit sent to distant markets?
Its fruit is notably large and firm compared with many other commercial strawberry varieties, so it tolerates the handling, packing and transport needed to reach city markets well beyond Mahabaleshwar itself without softening or bruising as quickly.
Sourced from: Camarosa Strawberry Variety Info And Grow Guide, UC Davis — Strawberry Varieties Released. editorial policy.