Wild Strawberries Fragaria vesca, Fragaria virginiana & Fragaria chiloensis – Native Plants of the Week

Introduction

Who doesn’t love wild strawberries? The berries are small, but there is so much flavor packed into those little bites! There are actually three main species of wild strawberry native to North America. The two that are very common are often both called Wild Strawberry and Woodland Strawberry making the common names confusing, as they often are. In general, however, Fragaria vesca is called the Woodland Strawberry and Fragaria virginiana is called the Wild Strawberry. Fragaria virginiana is also sometimes called the Virginia Strawberry, even though it is the most widespread of all species in North America. A third wild strawberry that is much less common is Fragaria chiloensis known as Coastal Strawberry or the Beach Strawberry that inhabits the Pacific Coast of North America. Finally Fragaria cascadensis is an exceedingly rare microendemic species of the Cascade Range that was only discovered in 2012. I will discuss the three more well-known ones in this article. They are all very similar in appearance, distribution, and how they were and still are used today.

Description of Wild Strawberry, Woodland Strawberry, Coastal Strawberry

Stem & Leaves of Fragaria vesca, Fragaria virginiana, Fragaria chiloensis

Fragaria species are part of the Rosaceae family in the Rosales order of dicot flowering plants. All three species are low-growing species with basal leaves that are petiolate (have stalks) and trifoliate having three leaflets.

Fragaria vesca leaves are bright green and the terminal tooth at the end of each leaflet is as long or longer than the ones next to it. The leaves are not glaucus, not leathery, and are not reticulate veined on their abaxial side. Note that in subspecies californica sometimes the terminal tooth is shorter than the adjacent ones making identification to the species level a bit more challenging where ranges overlap. The leaves grow on long hairy stems that are usually green.

Fragaria virginiana leaves are often bluish-green but may be green or bright green. They are not glaucus but are sometimes somewhat leathery. The abaxial side does not have reticulate veins. The terminal tooth on the leaflets is usually shorter than the adjacent teeth. The shorter terminal tooth and its bluish color is the easiest way to differentiate the species from the others. Leaves grow on a sparsely hairy greenish or reddish stem.

Fragaria chiloensis leaves are thick and leathery, dark green or green, not glaucus, and strongly reticulate veined abaxially. Leathery leaves and abaxial reticulate veins are the main identifying feature of this species. The terminal tooth on the leaflets is usually shorter than the adjacent teeth. The abaxial surface is silky hairy while the adaxial (upper) surface is glabrous and shiny. Leaves grow on a hairy reddish stem.

Flowers & Fruits of Fragaria vesca, Fragaria virginiana, Fragaria chiloensis

Fragaria vesca flowers are bisexual (usually) or unisexual and are 1.1 – 2.1 cm across. They are usually in clusters of 2-5 flowers. They have 5 white petals that are obovate to nearly orbiculate and their margins may or may not be overlapping. There are about 20 yellow stamens. The fruit is a conical-shaped pseudocarp and its achenes (seeds) are deeply embedded in the surface of the fruit in shallow pits. The achenes are 1 – 1.5 mm long and are yellowish-green to reddish-brown. The bractlets and sepals may be spreading, reflexed or clasping when in fruit.

Fragaria virginiana flowers are bisexual or may at times be unisexual and dioecious or gynodioecious. The flowers are 0.95 – 2.7 cm across and they have 5 white petals that are obovate or broadly obovate. The petals may or may not overlap each other. There are about 20 yellow stamens. The fruit is a globular (roundish) pseudocarp and its achenes are usually deeply embedded but rarely in shallow pits. Achenes are yellowish-green to reddish-brown and are 1.2 – 1.8 mm long each. The sepals are clasping in fruit as seen in the above picture.

Fragaria chiloensis flowers are bisexual, pistillate or staminate and are 1.5 – 2.8 cm across. They are in clusters of 5 – 15 flowers. Each flower usually has 5 petals but occasionally there are 6. Petals are obovate or widely depressed and obovate, margins may or may not overlap. There are 20 – 25 yellow stamens. The fruit is an ovate hairy pseudocarp and the achenes are either in shallow pits or only partially embedded. Achenes are 1.4 – 2 mm long and are reddish-brown to dark brown. Both bractlets and sepals are clasping in fruit.

While our native Fragaria species do produce viable seeds it is believed that most our Fragaria species reproduce more asexually through their stolons. Sometimes they sprout new crowns from their rhizomes as well, but stolons are the primary source of reproduction.

Similar Species Frequently Confused With

While there are several other genera with a very superficial appearance to Fragaria, most can easily be ruled out if they do not have trifoliate leaves. Another factor to easily rule them out is that some of them have yellow flowers instead of white whereas Fragaria flowers are always white. The most common misidentification in North America is between the 3 common Fragaria species described above. Below are a few other species that can be misidentified when no fruit or flower is present, or where the fruit is present and looks superficially similar to Fragaria species.

• Fragaria cascadensis – this is a rare microendemic species confined to the Cascade Mountains throughout Oregon and southern Washington. In its narrow range, it can be differentiated from the other strawberries found there by the hairs found on its upper and lower leaves. None of the other species in North America have hair on the adaxial (upper) surface. This species was only first described in 2012 as a unique species.
• Rubus lasiococcus – this is a low-growing Rubus only found in the Cascade range region of southernmost British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. It can usually be differentiated by the fact that the lower two of its trifoliate leaflets are mostly two-lobed, making the whole leaf appear 5-lobed. It is occasionally not lobed, however, in which case the numerous white stamens will help differentiate it from the Fragaria genus.
• Potentilla indica – the false strawberry is an introduced species found all over much of North America. It has trifoliate leaves and grows to a similar size as Fragaria. However, when in flower it is easy to differentiate by its yellow flowers instead of white as in all Fragaria species. When in fruit it is also fairly easy to differentiate. Even though the fruits look very much like a strawberry they do not hang on long stems. Instead they are usually held upright, and they are spherical instead of conical or globular.

Distribution of Fragaria vesca, Fragaria virginiana & Fragaria chiloensis

The Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca is found throughout much of the northern hemisphere where it is native and widespread. The Wild Strawberry Fragaria virginiana is a North American species that grows across most of the US and Canada. The Coastal or Beach Strawberry Fragaria chiloensis is native to the Pacific coasts of North & South America as well as Hawaii.

Wild Strawberry, Woodland Strawberry, Coastal or Beach Strawberry in Canada

The Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca is found in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland Island, and the Northwest Territories. It is absent from Nunavut, Yukon Territories, and Labrador. Its status in Prince Edward Island is unclear.

The Wild Strawberry Fragaria virginiana is found in all provinces and all northern Territories.

The Coastal Strawberry Fragaria chiloensis is only found in British Columbia on the Pacific Coast.

Wild Strawberry, Woodland Strawberry, Coastal or Beach Strawberry in the USA

The Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca is found Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Texas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. It is not native to but has been introduced in Hawaii.

The Wild Strawberry Fragaria virginiana is found in every state in the continental USA including Alaska.

The Coastal Strawberry Fragaria chiloensis is native to Hawaii and introduced into Alaska. According to USDA it is both native and introduced in Washington, Oregon, and California, though I could not find a reason why this is so since the Pacific coast of North America is part of its natural range.

Wild Strawberry, Woodland Strawberry, Coastal or Beach Strawberry in Mexico

The Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca is found mostly in mountainous terrain in Mexico. It is found in Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco, Durango, Chihuahua, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, Mexico State, Morelos, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Mexico City, Puebla, Oaxaca, and Chiapas.

Wild Strawberry Fragaria virginiana has only been confirmed in two states Chihuahua and Coahuila. In both states it was found in mountainous terrain.

The Coastal Strawberry Fragaria chiloensis does not appear to be found on the Pacific coast of Mexico. It has a disjunct distribution on the Pacific coast of Canada and the USA. It is then absent from the Pacific coasts of Mexico and Central America. Then it is found again on the Pacific coast of South America where it was likely brought by birds.

Habitat & Growing Conditions of Wild, Woodland and Coastal Strawberry

Fragaria vesca is a widespread species often found along roadsides, trails, on hills, in meadows, young or open forests, forest edges, and clearings. It is frequently found in coniferous forests but also grows in mixed forests. It prefers shade or partial shade. Often it is found in areas too shady to produce fruit because it primarily spreads by runners. In the northern parts of its range it tolerates more sun. However, in the southern end of its range it is only found in shady habitats. This is why in Mexico it is generally found only in mountainous terrain. It prefers wet and moist soil types and tolerates some acidity.

Fragaria virginiana is also a widespread species but is more common in mixed or deciduous forests than coniferous forest areas. It is commonly found in open forests, forest edges, hillsides, meadows, clearings and along roadsides. Tolerating more sun than Fragaria vesca, it is found in both full sun and part shade throughout its range but seldom in full shade. It prefers dry to moderately moist soil types and tolerates some moderate acidity.

Fragaria chiloensis is restricted to coastal habitats close to the ocean. It prefers sandy soil types in full sun and is usually found on or close to beaches in its range.

Growing Wild Strawberries in Your Garden

Growing species native to your area is a great addition to your garden. Once established they require little to no maintenance of any kind. They already grow in your area without water or fertilizer, so they will easily grow in your yard if you live in their range. They provide important wildlife and biodiversity values as well.

Wild Strawberries and Woodland Strawberries are both widespread species and incredibly easy to grow in your yard. You can start them by seed, or pick off a couple of runners from the wild, following Ethical Wildcrafting guidelines of course. Or simply allow the ones already there to grow, as I did. Starting strawberries from seeds can be challenging, though rewarding when it does work. However, wild strawberries are so abundant in North America I strongly suggest you wildcraft some runners and start them that way. The plants will take and grow so much faster.

They can be planted in most soil types. The Fragaria virginiana photo above in the Flowers & Fruits section grew on its own in sandy and gravel soil with very little organic matter. All I did was give it a little water in the summer and it produced that enormous crop of berries. I started watering all the Fragaria I had in my yard (I had both species) and I let them spread as a ground cover instead of planting a lawn. If you have poor soil like I did and want them to produce more fruits simply amend it with a little organic compost each spring. It will help feed them and retain water at the same time.

Winter and Other Maintenance

Other than an occasional top-dressing of compost and a bit of water during extended summer droughts, wild strawberries of any kind require no maintenance. Wild strawberries are also tolerant of cold so they require no winter maintenance. They will return each spring. If you are concerned and live in a particularly cold climate you could provide the plants with some winter mulch.

Wildlife Values of Wild Strawberry, Woodland Strawberry, Beach Strawberry

Wild animals and birds of all kinds are known to regularly feed on wild strawberries anytime the fruit is in season. It is particularly popular with songbirds and grouse. Several native ungulates including elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, black-tailed deer, and mountain goats also routinely feed on the foliage. Grizzly bears, black bears, and raccoons also feed on the Woodland and Wild Strawberry, particularly the berries but it is believed that they also eat the leaves.

The flowers are open-pollinated by any animal that visits. Bees and butterflies are both known to visit the flowers. Wild strawberries are also the larval host of some native butterflies and moths including the Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus centaureae and the Gray Hairstreak Strymon melinus.

Status of Fragaria vesca, Fragaria virginiana & Fragaria chiloensis

The Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca

Fragaria vesca the Woodland Strawberry is considered Globally Secure, G5.

In Canada, Fragaria vesca is Locally Secure S5 in British Columbia and Ontario. It is Apparently Secure S4 in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and New Brunswick. In Nova Scotia it is Vulnerable S3. It is unranked in all other territories and provinces where it is found.

In the USA, Wild Strawberry is considered Vulnerable S3 in Wyoming. It is as yet unranked in all other states where it is found.

In Mexico no information on its status could be found.

The Wild Strawberry Fragaria virginiana

The Wild Strawberry Fragaria virginiana is considered Globally Secure G5.

In Canada, Fragaria vesca is Locally Secure S5 in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland Island, and the Yukon Territories. It is Vulnerable S3 in Labrador. In Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Quebec it is currently unranked.

In the USA, Wild Strawberry Fragaria virginiana is considered Locally Secure S5 in Montana, Wyoming, Iowa, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Delaware, and New York. It is Critically Imperiled S1 in Louisiana. In all other states where it is found it is still unranked.

In Mexico no information on its status could be found.

The Coastal or Beach Strawberry Fragaria chiloensis

The Coastal or Beach Strawberry Fragaria chiloensis is considered Globally Secure G5.

In Canada ,Fragaria chiloensis is Locally Secure S5 in British Columbia. It is found nowhere else in Canada.

In the USA, Beach Strawberry is unranked in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California. It is not found anywhere else in the USA.

In Mexico there is no Coastal Strawberry found.

Traditional or Other Uses of Wild Strawberry, Woodland Strawberry, Coastal Strawberry

Wild Strawberry as Food

Wild Strawberry, Woodland Strawberry, and Coastal or Beach Strawberry were widely used as food by all indigenous peoples throughout their ranges. They were eaten fresh, made into preserves, cooked with other foods, dried individually or made into cakes for winter use. Many native people of North America were documented as using any or all three species for food. There were no doubt more than I even found in my research but the ones documented I found include the Abnake, Alaska, Algonquin, Apache, Bella Coola, Blackfoot, Cahuilla, Carrier, Clallam, Chehalis, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Chinook, Chippewa, Cochiti, Coeur d’Alene, Costanoan, Cowlitz, Cree, Dakota, Diegueno, Gosiute, Haisla, Hanaksiala, Hesquiat, Hoh, Iroquois, Isleta, Karok, Kitasoo, Klallam, Klamath, Lakota, Makah, Mendocino, Menominee, Meskwaki, Montana, Navajo, Nespelem, Nisqually, Nitinat, Ojibwa, Okanagan-Colville, Omaha, Oweekeno, Paiute, Pawnee, Ponca, Puyallup, Pomo, Potawatomi, Quileute, Salish, Sanpoil, Shuswap, Skagit, Skokomish, Spokane, Squaxin, Swinomish, Thompson, Tolowa, Winnebago and Yurok.

It is believed the Algonquin used to cultivate the berries to get larger harvests.

The Coast Salish, Cowlitz, Blackfoot and the Winnebago made tea from the dried leaves. The Thompson used the flowers and stems as a spice to flavor edible roots, and also put it in their armpits as a type of deodorant.

Fragaria virginiana and Fragaria chiloensis were the two strawberries that were hybridized to create all modern commercial strawberries Fragaria x ananassa that are produced and eaten today. Wild types are still sometimes eaten by native and non-native people alike, particularly when there is an abundance.

Fragaria vesca, Fragaria virginiana, Fragaria chiloensis Medicinal Uses

The Quileute of Washington state used a poultice of chewed leaves as a dressing for burns. The Okanagan-Colville used the dried leaves in a poultice as a dermatological aid for sores, as a disinfectant, and it was also applied to babies’ gums for teething.

The Blackfoot, Thompson, Diegueno, and Skokomish made an infusion used to treat diarrhea, especially for children and babies with the Thompson. The Carrier made a decoction of the stems for bleeding of the stomach. The Potawatomi and the Ojibwa used an infusion for stomach problems, the Ojibwa particularly used it for babies with stomach problems. The Chippewa used it as a pediatric aid for “cholera infantum”.

The Iroquois used the plant for numerous medical conditions including abortifacient, diarrhea, blood tonic, eyewash, colic in babies, gonorrhea, heart problems, stroke, canker sores, and teething babies. The Navajo used the whole plant as a ‘life medicine’ and the Iroquois used it as a “spring medicine”.

The Cherokee people used wild strawberries for several medicinal uses including diarrhea, visceral obstructions, jaundice, kidney problems, scurvy, depression, as a sedative, for bladder infections, and as a toothache remedy. The Malachite and Micmac used it is an abortifacient.

Fragaria Ceremonial and Other Uses

The Pomo and Kashaya used the strawberries as part of a ceremonial dance. The Iroquois used it in ceremonies as a symbol of the Creator’s beneficence.

The stolons (runners) were frequently used as a rope for tying and binding things together.

Wild Strawberry as an Ornamental

Sometimes Wild Strawberry plants are used as garden ornamentals. However, most people grow the hybrid type in their gardens for their more abundant fruits. More wild strawberries should be used as ornamentals in gardens across North America. They make a great ground cover, provide biodiversity and wildlife values, and occasionally produce a delicious crop of tiny berries.

Ethical Wildcrafting of Fragaria vesca, Fragaria virginiana, Fragaria chiloensis

Check the status in your state before harvesting since it is imperiled or vulnerable in some states and provinces. See above section on Status. Alternatively, grow it in your garden for both its lovely ground cover, flowers, and delicious fruits.

If you are harvesting Fragaria vesca, Fragaria virginiana, or Fragaria chiloensis from the wild as always use the 1 in 20 rule of Ethical Wildcrafting. Pick one in every 20 fruit or leaves that you see. It is important not to pick all of the fruits so that you leave some behind for the numerous native animals and birds that rely on them as an important summer food source.

Wildcrafting and Processing

Picked fruits or leaves can be placed in a basket, bowl, or paper bag and brought home for processing. If you are harvesting multiple products on the same day be sure to label the roots in a paper bag so that you do not confuse different plants.

Wild strawberries are usually eaten fresh upon picking. If using the leaves medicinally they can be dried for later use.

To dry the leaves simply place them on a rack or screen in a single layer and allow them to dry. If you are wanting to dry the fruits be sure there is enough air circulation around your drying racks to prevent rotting. Otherwise, they could also be dried more quickly in the sun the way indigenous people used to do it, or in a food dehydrator on the lowest heat setting.

Once dried, the leaves and fruits can be stored in a jar for later use. Label your jar with the species name and the date of harvest, I also usually add the location of harvest for my own reference. Do not grind or crush the leaves or fruits until you are ready to use them to keep them as fresh as possible and preserve their medicinal properties. When you pre-grind, even if stored in glass jars, this increases the oxidation rate and rapidly degrades the medicinal properties so that they are rendered ineffective in a shorter amount of time than if left as whole as possible.

References and Resources

Canadensys Plant Search https://data.canadensys.net/vascan/search

Dictionary of Botanical Terms – by Lyrae’s Nature Blog https://lyraenatureblog.com/blog/dictionary-of-botanical-terms/

Eflora Plants of North America http://www.efloras.org/browse.aspx?flora_id=1

Fire Effects Information System on Fragaria vesca https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/forb/fraves/all.html

iNaturalist Plant Search https://www.inaturalist.org/home

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Database https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=frvi

Native American Ethnobotany http://naeb.brit.org/

Natureserve Explorer https://explorer.natureserve.org/Search

USDA Plants Database https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home

Wikipedia on Fragaria cascadensis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragaria_cascadensis

Wikipedia picture of Fragaria chiloensis By Will Elder / National Park Service – https://www.nps.gov/prsf/learn/nature/beach-strawberry.htm, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10543349

Willis, Lyrae (2021).  Plant Families of North America.  Not yet published. 

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