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Wild Strawberry Fragaria virginiana

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
frah-GAR-ee-ah vir-jin-ee-AN-uh
Description

Scarlett Strawberry, also called Wild Strawberry, is a herbaceous, flowering, perennial and a member of the Fragaria genus, a large collection on plants producing edible fruit. The plant has a low profile of about 5 inches by 2 feet wide and spreads by runners making it useful as a groundcover as well as a provider of edible fruit. It can also be used as erosion control holding soil on slopes. The plant is native to North America, from Newfoundland and Alberta in Canada, south to Georgia, Tennessee, and Oklahoma in the United States. The genus name comes from the Latin word fraga, presumably from fragrans meaning fragrant in reference to the perfume of the fruit. The species name refers to Virginia.

Scarlett Strawberry is a winter hardy plant and easily grown in fertile, moist to dry, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade, although it does prefer organically rich, sandy loam. This plant likes the cooler temperatures of spring and fall and does not do well in summer heat and humidity or in strong, drying, winds. After setting fruit, the plants may slow down or go dormant in hot summer months. Plants flower in spring followed by the fruit, but fruit production can be affected by the prevailing temperatures. Plants spread indefinitely by runners that root as they sprawl along the ground and will form large colonies over time.

Wildlife Value: Members of the genus Fragaria support the specialized bee Andrena (Micrandrena) melanochroa.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

Strawberries are susceptible to a number of diseases, including leaf spot, scorch, root rots, fruit rots (anthracnose, leather rot), gray mold and viruses. Tarnished plant bugs, spider mites, aphids, leafrollers, slugs, nematodes and strawberry weevils can also present problems.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#nectar plant#specialized bees#NC native#pollinator plant#edible garden#bee friendly#non-toxic for horses#non-toxic for dogs#non-toxic for cats#wildlife friendly
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#nectar plant#specialized bees#NC native#pollinator plant#edible garden#bee friendly#non-toxic for horses#non-toxic for dogs#non-toxic for cats#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Fragaria
    Species:
    virginiana
    Family:
    Rosacea
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    ground cover
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    East Canada to Northern and Eastern United States and Mexico
    Distribution:
    Introduced to Northern Europe, France, Italy, and Venezuela
    Wildlife Value:
    Members of the genus Fragaria support the following specialized bee: Andrena (Micrandrena) melanochroa.
    Edibility:
    Wild strawberries have a sweet tart flavor.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 4 in. - 0 ft. 9 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Native Plant
    Wildflower
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Semi-evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Creeping
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Medium
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Dry
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Red/Burgundy
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Berry
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    Flowers give way to achene-dotted ovoid fruits (strawberries) which mature to red fruit, 1/2 inch across. Seeds are embedded in the pits of the strawberries.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Umbel
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Shape:
    Radial
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Five round, white petals in a flat cluster appear in early to mid-spring. Flowers (to 3/4 inches across) with numerous yellow-anthered center stamens bloom in April-May in flat umbel-like clusters (4 to 6 flowers each).
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Semi-evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Velvety
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Long-lasting
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Obovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Dentate
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Three obovate, dentate, coarsely toothed leaflets on a slender stalk; 1 to 2 inches long. Each leaf is coarsely toothed on slender hairy stalks (to 6 inches long).
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Hanging Baskets
    Naturalized Area
    Slope/Bank
    Landscape Theme:
    Edible Garden
    Native Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Mass Planting
    Attracts:
    Pollinators
    Songbirds
    Specialized Bees
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Erosion