Fragaria virginiana
Mill.
Rosaceae
Fragaria australis (Rydb.) Rydb.
Fragaria canadensis Michx.
Fragaria elatior Eaton
Fragaria firma Rydb.
Fragaria glauca (S.Watson) Rydb.
Fragaria grayana E.Vilm. ex J.Gay
Fragaria iowensis Prince
Fragaria michauxiana House
Fragaria multicipita Fernald
Fragaria odora Salisb.
Fragaria ovalis (Lehm.) Rydb.
Fragaria pauciflora Rydb.
Fragaria platypetala Rydb.
Fragaria prolifica Baker & Rydb. ex Rydb.
Fragaria pumila Rydb.
Fragaria serotina Raf.
Fragaria sibbaldifolia Rydb.
Fragaria suksdorfii Rydb.
Fragaria terraenovae Rydb.
Fragaria truncata Rydb.
Fragaria umbelliformis F.W.Schultz
Fragaria virginiana Duchesne
Fragaria yukonensis Rydb.
Potentilla ovalis Lehm.
Potentilla virginiana (Mill.) E.H.L.Krause
Common Name: Scarlet Strawberry
General Information
Fragaria virginiana is a herbaceous perennial plant producing a rosette of leaves from a central rootstock. The plant can be up to 30cm tall and wide, spreading by means of stolons to form large colonies.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It is occasionally cultivated on a garden scale as a food crop.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
235- Title
- An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada
- Publication
-
- Author
- Britton. N. L. Brown. A.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications. New York.
- Year
- 1970
- ISBN
- 0-486-22642-5
- Description
- Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.
,
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
Range
N. America - Alaska to Newfoundland, south to California, Texas and Florida.
Habitat
Moist to dry sites, open forests, forest edges, hedges, fields, meadows, prairies, savannahs, roadsides, railroad embankments, abandoned fields , often ruderal; at elevations up to 3,700 metres[
43- Title
- Gray's Manual of Botany.Eighth Edition
- Publication
-
- Author
- Fernald. M. L.
- Publisher
- American Book Co.; New York
- Year
- 1950
- ISBN
- 0442222505
- Description
- A bit dated but a good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
,
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].
Properties
Edibility Rating | |
Medicinal Rating | |
Other Uses Rating | |
Habit | Perennial |
Height | 0.20 m |
Pollinators | Insects |
Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a fertile, well-drained, moisture retentive soil in a sunny position[
27- Title
- The Vegetable Garden.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vilmorin. A.
- Publisher
- Ten Speed Press
- Year
-
- ISBN
- 0-89815-041-8
- Description
- A reprint of a nineteenth century classic, giving details of vegetable varieties. Not really that informative though.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Tolerates semi-shade though fruit production will be reduced when plants grow in such a position.
During the growing season new plants are produced on runners - prostrate stems emerging from the leaf axils of mature plants. These runners are used as propagation material[
].
Plants usually produce hermaphrodite flowers, though some plants produce flowers of only one sex. In this case, both male and female forms would need to be grown if fruit and seed were required[
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].
The plants appreciate a mulch of pine or spruce leaves[
18- Title
- Companion Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B.
- Publisher
- Watkins
- Year
- 1979
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.
].
Along with Fragaria chiloensis, this species is probably a parent of the cultivated strawberries[
119- Title
- Cultivated Fruits of Britain.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Roach. F. A.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
The cultivar 'Little Scarlet' is a form of this species and this is still occasionally cultivated for its fruit in Britain[
119- Title
- Cultivated Fruits of Britain.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Roach. F. A.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw, cooked or made into preserves[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
,
27- Title
- The Vegetable Garden.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vilmorin. A.
- Publisher
- Ten Speed Press
- Year
-
- ISBN
- 0-89815-041-8
- Description
- A reprint of a nineteenth century classic, giving details of vegetable varieties. Not really that informative though.
,
101- Title
- Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A.
- Publisher
- National Museum of Natural Sciences
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very readable guide to some wild foods of Canada.
,
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. Sweet and succulent. Small but delicious[
159- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Indiana.
- Publication
-
- Author
- McPherson. A. and S.
- Publisher
- Indiana University Press
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- 0-253-28925-4
- Description
- A nice pocket guide to this region of America.
]. The fruit is up to 20mm in diameter[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The dried leaves are a very pleasant tea substitute[
55- Title
- Eat the Weeds.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Harris. B. C.
- Publisher
- Pivot Health
- Year
- 1973
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Interesting reading.
,
62- Title
- A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Elias. T. and Dykeman. P.
- Publisher
- Van Nostrand Reinhold
- Year
- 1982
- ISBN
- 0442222009
- Description
- Very readable.
,
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. Rich in vitamin C[
159- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Indiana.
- Publication
-
- Author
- McPherson. A. and S.
- Publisher
- Indiana University Press
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- 0-253-28925-4
- Description
- A nice pocket guide to this region of America.
].
Medicinal
The whole plant is antiseptic, astringent, emmenagogue, galactogogue and odontalgic[
172- Title
- Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Schofield. J. J.
- Publisher
- Alaska Northwest Books; Alaska
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0882403699
- Description
- A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.
]. It has been used to regulate the menstrual cycle[
172- Title
- Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Schofield. J. J.
- Publisher
- Alaska Northwest Books; Alaska
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0882403699
- Description
- A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.
].
A tea made from the leaves has been used as a nerve tonic and is slightly astringent[
222- Title
- A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Foster. S. & Duke. J. A.
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin Co.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-395-46722-5
- Description
- A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
].
A poultice made from the dried powdered leaves mixed with oil has been used to treat open sores[
257- Title
- Native American Ethnobotany
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moerman. D.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-88192-453-9
- Description
- Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
].
A tea made from the roots is diuretic[
222- Title
- A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Foster. S. & Duke. J. A.
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin Co.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-395-46722-5
- Description
- A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
]. It has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea, irregular menses, gonorrhoea, stomach and lung ailments[
222- Title
- A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Foster. S. & Duke. J. A.
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin Co.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-395-46722-5
- Description
- A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
,
257- Title
- Native American Ethnobotany
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moerman. D.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-88192-453-9
- Description
- Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
].
Other Uses
The fruits are used as a tooth cleaner[
55- Title
- Eat the Weeds.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Harris. B. C.
- Publisher
- Pivot Health
- Year
- 1973
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Interesting reading.
,
62- Title
- A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Elias. T. and Dykeman. P.
- Publisher
- Van Nostrand Reinhold
- Year
- 1982
- ISBN
- 0442222009
- Description
- Very readable.
]. They are held in the mouth, or rubbed over the teeth, to remove tartar[
257- Title
- Native American Ethnobotany
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moerman. D.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-88192-453-9
- Description
- Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
].
Propagation
Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse. The seed can take 4 weeks or more to germinate. The seedlings are very small and slow-growing at first, but then grow rapidly. Prick them out into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out during the summer.
Division of runners, preferably done in mid summer in order to allow the plants to become established for the following years crop[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. They can also be moved in the following spring if required, though should not then be allowed to fruit in their first year. The runners can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.
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