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Kama strawberries are conical to round fruits, varying from small to medium in size depending on the harvest, and have slight tapering to a rounded tip. The skin is glossy and smooth, covered in many small, shallow, yellow seeds. Kama strawberries can be harvested in two different stages. The first stage is when the berries first become ripe. This stage is signified by the skin turning a dark red hue, and the flesh will have a prominent sour flavor. With time, the berries will enter into their second stage of harvest, developing a burgundy, almost black hue with a fragrant aroma. In this stage, the flesh is dense, aqueous, and soft with a rich, sweet flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Kama strawberries are available in the late spring through early summer in Europe and Central Asia.
Current Facts
Kama strawberries, botanically a part of the Fragaria genus, are an early-ripening variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. The sweet, crimson fruits are a popular commercial variety in Eastern Europe and have also become a favorite garden strawberry in Central Asia. Kama strawberries are valued for their resistance to drought, transportability, and adaptability, being able to be grown both outdoors and in greenhouses. In Eastern Europe, the variety is primarily used for commercial processing as the fruits retain their flavor and shape once preserved. In Central Asia, Kama strawberries are planted in dachas, or personal summer gardens, and are harvested multiple times throughout the season for fresh eating and canning. Home gardeners often favor the variety for its unique growth pattern, developing underneath its wide-spreading leaves, which protects the berries from harsh weather and hungry predators.
Nutritional Value
Kama strawberries are an excellent source of potassium and vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that can help strengthen the immune system and assist in wound healing. The berries also contain fiber, which stimulates the digestive tract and provide some iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and folic acid.
Applications
Kama strawberries are best suited for both fresh applications and processed preparations, such as canning. When ripe, the berries can be consumed straight, out-of-hand as a sweet snack, or they can be eaten with sour cream and sugar. Kama strawberries can also be sliced and tossed into fruit and green salads, used as a decorative element on cakes and tarts, juiced for beverages, or blended into sorbets. In addition to fresh applications, Kama strawberries are popularly cooked and reduced into jams, compotes, and syrups. In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Kama strawberries are sometimes used to flavor kissel, which is a sweet mixture of pureed fruit, cornstarch, and sugar. Kissel can be used as a condiment, drunk as a beverage, or eaten as is with bread. Cooked Kama strawberries can also be used as fillings for pastries or as a filling for vareniki, which is a berry dumpling. Beyond fresh applications, Kama strawberries can be canned for extended use, and the berry’s sweet flavor is retained through the preservation process. Kama strawberries pair well with cheeses such as goat, gruyere, and brie, herbs such as basil, mint, and coriander, vanilla, cinnamon, raisins, and chocolate. Fresh strawberries will keep 5-7 days when stored unwashed in the refrigerator. The berries can also be sliced and frozen for 6-12 months.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Throughout Central Asia, Kama strawberries are being increasingly cultivated in greenhouses as a part of a growing initiative to provide fresh produce year-round. With the creation of greenhouses, countries such as Russia and Kazakhstan can reduce the consumption of imported fruits during the cold winter season and can provide multiple harvests of strawberries throughout the year at affordable prices. Kama strawberries, when cultivated in a greenhouse, arrive at markets a month earlier than if it is grown outside. The technologically advanced greenhouses use cultivation techniques acquired from established greenhouse companies based in Europe and Eastern Asia, and the first greenhouse was constructed in Kazakhstan in 2015. With this new initiative, varieties such as the Kama strawberry are growing in importance and are being used to study new cultivation techniques to increase production, quality, and flavor.
Geography/History
Kama strawberries were first developed by V. Filevich at an experimental horticultural station in Poland and are a cross between the seng sengana and cavalier varieties. Today the crimson berry is widely cultivated in Eastern Europe and is also grown both commercially and privately as an early-ripening variety in Central Asia.
Green Central Market
Zhibek Zholy str. 53, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Kama strawberries of Kazakhstan…Kama strawberries are increasingly grown in greenhouses across Kazakhstan and Central Asia, providing fresh produce year-round and reducing dependence on imported fruits during cold winters. Greenhouse-grown Kama strawberries reach markets a month earlier than outdoor crops. This initiative, started in Kazakhstan in 2015, uses advanced techniques from Europe and East Asia, enhancing production, quality, and flavor.
Ecofreshmarket
Kazakhfilm microdistrict, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Kama strawberries offer a unique dual harvesting stage with distinct characteristics. In their first stage, their skin turns dark red and they have a prominent sour flavor. In the second stage, they mature into a burgundy, almost black hue, accompanied by a fragrant aroma. At this point, the flesh becomes dense, soft, and aqueous, delivering a rich, sweet flavor. These strawberries are covered in small, shallow yellow seeds and are known for their glossy, smooth skin.
Fruits and Vegetables mini market "Mango fruits"
улица Гагарина 195, Алматы 050060, Казахстан
Kama strawberries are quite versatile in culinary uses. They can be eaten fresh, used in salads, desserts, and beverages, or cooked into jams, compotes, and pastries like vareniki, a berry dumpling. Popular in regions like Eastern Europe, they even flavor kissel, a sweet fruit-based mixture. When paired, they go well with cheeses like goat and brie, herbs like mint, and sweet elements like chocolate. Stored properly, they last 5-7 days fresh or 6-12 months frozen.
Gaukhar Market
Isinaliyeva st 21, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Kama strawberries develop beneath wide-spreading leaves, a growth trait that protects the berries from harsh weather and predators, making them a favorite among home gardeners. Beyond their appealing flavor, the fruits provide potassium, vitamin C for immune support, dietary fiber for digestive health, and trace amounts of iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and folic acid, contributing to their nutritional profile.
Almaty Central Green market
улица Жибек Жолы 53, Алматы 050000, Казахстан
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Kama strawberries were initially developed in Poland by V. Filevich through a cross between seng sengana and cavalier varieties. They are widely grown in Eastern Europe and have gained popularity in Central Asia as a fast-ripening option. In Central Asian greenhouses, Kama strawberries can be harvested a month earlier than outdoor crops, helping reduce reliance on imported fruits during winter and ensuring year-round affordability and availability for consumers.
Green market
Zhibek Zholy 58, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Kama strawberries are highly versatile, ideal for eating fresh, incorporating into salads, or as decorative cake toppings. They can also be cooked into jams, syrups, or compotes. The berries pair wonderfully with cheeses like brie, herbs like mint, and even chocolate. Stored unwashed in the fridge, they last 5-7 days and can be frozen for up to a year, retaining their sweet flavor through preservation.
Kazakhfilm weekend food fair
Isinaliyev str. 34, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Kama strawberries develop two distinct stages of ripeness. Early harvests feature dark red skin and a prominent sour flavor, while later harvests reveal a burgundy-black hue, fragrant aroma, and sweet, soft, aqueous flesh. Their glossy skin texture and small yellow seeds make them visually distinctive, enhancing their appeal as a unique specialty fruit from South Kazakhstan.
Zhetygen weekend farm market
Zhetygen village, Almaty region, Kazakhstan
Kama strawberries are an early-ripening and drought-resistant variety valued for their adaptability to outdoor and greenhouse cultivation. Popular in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, these sweet, crimson-red berries retain their flavor and shape when preserved, making them ideal for both fresh eating and canning. Their unique growth pattern, hidden beneath their wide leaves, offers natural protection from weather and predators, making them a favorite among home gardeners.
Green market
Zhibek Zholy 53, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Kama strawberries are increasingly grown in technologically advanced greenhouses across Central Asia, allowing countries like Russia and Kazakhstan to reduce reliance on imported fruit during winter. These greenhouses employ techniques from Europe and Eastern Asia, enabling multiple harvests a year and earlier market availability. This initiative not only boosts year-round production but also fosters research to enhance strawberry quality, flavor, and yield.
Ecofresh market
Kazakhfilm microdistrict, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Kama strawberries, originating from Poland, are a hybrid of seng sengana and cavalier varieties. Known for their crimson color, they are cultivated widely in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. As an early-ripening variety, they are suited for both commercial and private farming, making them a popular choice for extending the growing season in regions like Almaty.
