The strawberry plant has a short thickened stem (called a “crown”) which has a growing point at the upper end and which forms roots at its base (Fig. 1). New leaves and flower clusters emerge from “fleshy buds” in the crown in the early spring. From a cultural viewpoint, it is desirable in our region to have the formation of 1-2 “side stems” called branch crowns form during the late fall (Fig. 2).