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Wild Strawberry (Virginia Strawberry)

Fragaria virginiana

Family:

Rosaceae

The Latin fragaria refers to the alluring fragrance of the berries.

Meadow or Grassland garden

Meadow / Grassland garden

Rock garden

Rock garden

Pollinator garden

Pollinator garden

Cutting garden

Container garden

Aggressive plant

Aggressive plant

Supports wide variety of wildlife

Supports wide variety of wildlife

Details

Emerges 

May

Seed collection

Flowers

May

white flowers

White

June, July

Height

10

-

25

cm

Lifecycle

Perennial

Width

-

25

cm

Habit

Forbs

Spreading

Spreading

Herbaceous

Herbaceous

Stoloniferous

Stoloniferous

Ecology

Supports

Supports songbirds

Songbirds

Supports bees

Bees

Supports beneficial insects

Beneficial insects

Providing

Provides seeds and berries

Seed/Berry source

Provides nesting material

Nesting material

Short-tongued bees visit the flowers, and leafcutter bees cut tidy circles from the leaves to line egg chambers. The berries are eaten by birds and small animals whereas larger animals graze on the leaves.

Habitat

Typically found in

disturbed areas, meadows, prairie, open woods

In the Garden

Growing Conditions

Moisture

Average conditions

Average

Moist conditions

Moist

Light

Full sun

Full sun

Soil

Average garden soil

Propagation

Via

Rhizomatous

Rhizomatous

Seeds

Seeds

Division

Division

Sowing Recommendations

Sow seeds in Fall

Fall planting

Low or difficult germination

Landscape

Use for:

Border placement

Border

Fall colour

Fall colour

Naturalization

Naturalization

Groundcover

Groundcover

Mass planting

Mass planting

Growing Tips

  • Can be an aggressive spreader if conditions are ideal, but is easily controlled by relocating new plants.

  • Propagation by division (relocating new plantlets) is easier than growing from seed.

  • Seeds require wet and cold stratification. Mix seeds with moist substrate (vermiculite, perlite or moss) and place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 6-8 weeks. Sow seed at soil surface. Do not let seedling dry out while it is establishing. 

  • Sow directly outdoors in late fall to overwinter.

Description

A perennial herb with tiny fragrant berries. New plants form at the end of the runners sent out by the parent plant. A useful and attractive groundcover for lightly shaded or open areas. Many cultivated varieties have been developed from Fragaria virginiana. Differs from Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) in that the dried seed-like fruits are embedded into the surface of the mature edible portion of the flower (commonly known as the berry).

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