strawberry seeds blooming Wild Strawberry – Native Gardeners

strawberry seeds blooming Wild Strawberry – Native GardenersFragaria virginiana Commonly known as Wild Strawberries, Virginia Strawberry, and Scarlet Strawberry. A ground hugging, semi evergreen, herbaceous perennial that typically grows to only 4 7 tall but spreads indefinitely by runners (stolons) which root to form new plants as they sprawl along the ground, often forming large colonies over time. It is native to woodland openings, meadows, prairies, limestone glades and cleared areas including roadsides

Fragaria virginiana

Commonly known as Wild Strawberries, Virginia Strawberry, and Scarlet Strawberry.

A ground-hugging, semi-evergreen, herbaceous perennial that typically grows to only 4-7” tall but spreads indefinitely by runners (stolons) which root to form new plants as they sprawl along the ground, often forming large colonies over time. It is native to woodland openings, meadows, prairies, limestone glades and cleared areas including roadsides across most of the U.S. and Canada. Each leaf has three coarsely toothed leaflets. Five-petaled white flowers with yellow center stamens bloom in April-May in flat umbel-like clusters. Flowers give way to strawberries which mature to red in a much smaller size (to 1/2” and across) than fruits produced by cultivated strawberry plants. Seeds are embedded in the pits of the strawberries. 

Easily grown in fertile, moist to dry-mesic, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade (prefers some shade in Texas). Prefers organically rich, sandy loams. This is a cool-season perennial that grows best in spring and fall. After setting fruit, plants may slow down or go dormant in hot summer months. Plants flower reliably in spring, but the subsequent appearance of fruit is dependent upon climatic conditions. 

Makes a great groundcover or border plant or to help with erosion control on slopes. Fruits are quite small but very tasty with a sweet/tart flavor and may be eaten fresh off the vine or cooked into a variety of dishes including pies and jams.

Larval host plant for Grizzled Skipper and Gray Hairstreak. 

Height: 3"-9"
Spreads indefinitely
Bloom: April-June
Light: Full Sun-Part Shade
Water: Low-Medium
Zone: 5-9
Origin: Texas, most of the U.S., Canada