A factorial combination of pretreatments, fixatives, and stains was examined to identify the best available method for staining the chromosomes of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch. ‘Chandler’) root-tip cells. Three pretreatments ( a -bromonaphthalene, p -dichlorobenzene, and 8-hydroxyquinoline), three fixatives (Farmer’s fluid, Carnoy’s fluid, and Newcomer’s fluid), and five stains (acetocarmine, alcoholic hydrochloric-acid carmine, altered carbol fuchsin, lacto-propionic orcein, and leucobasic fuchsin) were tested. Pretreatment with either a -bromonaphthalene (saturated aqueous) or 8-hydroxyquinoline (2 mM) for 5 hours at 14C, overnight fixation in Farmer’s fluid, hydrolysis in 1 N HCl (15 minutes at 60C), and staining with altered carbol fuchsin produced chromosome preparations superior to other treatment combinations. Treatment with a-bromonaphthalene, Farmer’s fluid, and alcoholic hydrochloric-acid carmine (2 days at 25C) also produced acceptable chromosome preparations.