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Muller, Thomas L.

Fragaria virginiana

Fragaria virginiana Duchesne

Virginia Strawberry, Wild Strawberry

Rosaceae (Rose Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: frvi

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), CAN (N), SPM (N)

Virginia Strawberry or Wild Strawberry is a ground-hugging plant rising from a fibrous, perennial root system. Hairy leaf petioles, up to 6 in. long, each bear a single trifoliate leaf. The hairy flower stalk gives rise to a loose cluster of small, five-petaled flowers followed by tasty, wild strawberries.

Found in patches in fields and dry openings, this plant produces the finest, sweetest, wild strawberry. The edible portion of the strawberry is actually the central portion of the flower (receptacle) which enlarges greatly with maturity and is covered with the embedded, dried, seed-like fruit. Cultivated Strawberries are hybrids developed from this native species and the South American one. The similar Wood Strawberry (F. vesca) has seed-like fruit on the surface, not embedded, and sepals that point backwards.

From the Image Gallery

31 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Trifoliate
Fruit Type: Accessory , Achene , Aggregate
Size Notes: Up to about 4 inches tall.
Fruit: Red, aggregated achenes set on the surface of the edible fruit.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AK , AL , AR , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: AB , BC , MB , NB , NL , NS , ON , PE , QC , SK
Native Distribution: Nf. & e. Que. to Man., s. to GA & OK
Native Habitat: Fields; prairies; woodland edges

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Variable. Tolerant of moderately acid soil.

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Berries attract wildlife.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Butterflies
Larval Host: Gray Hairstreak

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Supports Conservation Biological Control

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Grizzled Skipper
(Pyrgus centaureae)

Larval Host

Learn more at BAMONA

Gray Hairstreak
(Strymon melinus)

Larval Host

Learn more at BAMONA

Propagation

Description: Seed germination is poor. Vegetative propagation, by separating rooted plantlets in spring or early summer or by stolon internode cuttings, is an effective means of increase.
Seed Treatment: Stratification enhances germination.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Edible Plants for North Georgia
January 10, 2010
We are planning a forest food garden in the hollers of the N GA Mountains. Which edible fruit, nut, berry, herb and creepers would be best for this reddish, clay-like soil? The food garden is in...
view the full question and answer

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACU	UPL	FACU		FACU	FACU		FACU	FACU	FACU

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Bibliography

Bibref 1186 - Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Bibref 1185 - Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright
Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Fragaria virginiana in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Fragaria virginiana in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Fragaria virginiana

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-10
Research By: TWC Staff

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