# Virginia strawberry (*Fragaria virginiana*) Virginia strawberries are small, sweet fruits that grow close to the ground. They are bright red and delicious, perfect for snacking or making yummy treats! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 23 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Virginia strawberry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Fragaria_virginiana_2400.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fragaria_virginiana_2400.JPG) ## Appearance The Virginia strawberry has glossy green leaves with three leaflets, often hairy stems, and small white flowers. Its bright red, heart-shaped fruits grow close to the ground, appearing smaller than garden strawberries. Its seeds are visible as tiny specks on the fruit's surface. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Fragaria ## Interesting facts - Even though it's called a 'strawberry,' botanically it's not a true berry! - Indigenous peoples used its leaves for tea and fruit for food and medicine. - This wild plant is a parent of the big strawberries you eat today! - Unlike most fruits, its tiny seeds grow \*outside\* on the red, fleshy part! ## Special abilities - **Runner Power:** Virginia strawberry can send out 'runners' called stolons to quickly grow new plants, spreading across wide areas. - **Sweet Seed Disperser:** Virginia strawberry has sweet, edible fruit that attracts animals, who then help scatter its tiny seeds far and wide. - **Winter Warrior:** Virginia strawberry has tough leaves and roots that allow it to survive freezing temperatures and even grow under snow. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-20 cm - **Spread:** 20-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers to collect nectar and pollen. - **Eats:** [Eastern cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) — Feeds on the leaves and sometimes the fruits. - **Eats:** [American robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Eats the ripe red fruits, dispersing the seeds. - **Pollinates:** Common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Important pollinator for its small white flowers. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Agricultural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/agricultural): This human use trait describes species cultivated or domesticated by humans for agricultural purposes, including crops and livestock. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash strawberries before eating them to keep them clean and safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Virginia strawberry? Compare how the fruit is clustered, the leaves and their arrangement, the stems and any thorns. Red, blue and black fruits grow on lots of unrelated plants, and the same color can show up on both edible and poisonous species. Berry Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Virginia strawberry? 5-20 cm ### How wide does Virginia strawberry spread? 20-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Virginia strawberry? 1-2 cm ### When does Virginia strawberry bloom? Spring ### Is Virginia strawberry edible? Yes ### Is Virginia strawberry toxic? None ### What is Virginia strawberry's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bear Meadows Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bear-meadows-natural-area) — Pennsylvania, US · Nature Reserve - [Currier Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/currier-park-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Five Channels Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/five-channels-dam) — Michigan, US · Historic Site - [Illinois Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/illinois-street-historic-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Independence](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/independence) — Colorado, US · Neighborhood - [Leadville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/leadville-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District [View all places to see Virginia strawberry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/virginia-strawberry) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Virginia strawberry: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/virginia-strawberry)