Definition
S. Mauro Torinese wild strawberry is one of the many varieties belonging to the species Fragaria Vesca L., herbaceous plant belonging to the family Rosaceae.
The edible part is represented by the thalamus, becoming fleshy and rich in sugar and scented substances, which is its fruit. The cultivar has bright red fruits when they are ripe, with a diameter of 1-1.5 cm.
It is a woodland strawberry that was anciently produced cultivating plants coming from the woodlands of Collina Torinese area. The current cultivation method implies the transplanting in tunnel in August and September, leaving some rows with no mulching, in order to enable the production of stolons among the rows, giving origin to the new plants. The hills of the areas between S. Mauro T.se and Rivodora are cool, rich in organic substances and, therefore, ideal for the cultivation of the wild strawberry. The harvesting goes from mid-April to late June, with an assessable production of 1.5 q every 1,000 plants.
The characteristic features of this wild strawberry, with a nice size, a rather regular cone-shaped fruit, bright red color which according to the seasonal trend can become opaque or dark, a fleshy and scented pulp, a sweet and delicate taste, make it particularly suitable and appreciated in the production of fruit salads and confectionery. This give producers the possibility to have a greater markup with respect to the bigger and more commercial varieties.
Every year, at the end of may, the Strawberry Festival is held in San Mauro.