woodland strawberry

Fragaria vesca

Woodland strawberries are small, sweet fruits that grow close to the ground. They have bright red color and are delicious to eat! They are often found in forests and meadows.

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The woodland strawberry has small, delicate white flowers with five petals and yellow centers, often growing singly or in small clusters. Its bright red, tiny, heart-shaped berries are much smaller than cultivated varieties. The plant forms low-growing rosettes of three-parted, toothed green leaves.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderRosalesFamilyRosaceaeGenusFragaria

Photo: Jörg HempelCC BY-SA 3.0 de · Wikimedia CommonsView original ↗

woodland strawberry

Interesting facts

Ancient Romans prized woodland strawberries for both their delicious taste and medicinal uses!

Despite its name, botanically, it's not a true berry, but an 'aggregate accessory fruit'!

Each tiny seed on the outside of the berry is actually a separate fruit called an achene!

These wild strawberries taste much stronger and sweeter than common store-bought varieties!

Special abilities

Woodland strawberry can send out 'runners' called stolons that root and grow new plants, helping it spread quickly across the forest floor.

This plant has broad, low-growing leaves that efficiently capture sunlight even in dappled shade, allowing it to thrive under trees.

Woodland strawberry can produce many small, intensely flavored berries quickly, attracting animals to help disperse its seeds.

Measurements & details

Height: 10-20 cm
Spread: 15-30 cm
Flower Size: 1-2 cm
Bloom Season: Spring to early Summer
Edible: Yes
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

Eaten by

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

Robins devour the ripe red berries.

Eaten by

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

Squirrels feed on the small, sweet fruits.

Pollinates

European Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Bees collect nectar and pollen from its flowers.

Depends on

Red Wood Ant

Formica rufa

Ants can help disperse its seeds to new locations.

Traits

Shade Tolerant

Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.

Spring Blooming

Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.

Summer Blooming

Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.

Fruit Bearing

Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds.

Fruit Tree

A fruit tree is a perennial tree that produces fruit, which is edible to humans or animals.

Edible

Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.

Forest

Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Plants

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Always wash fruits before eating them, and ask an adult if you're unsure about picking them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify woodland 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 woodland strawberry?

10-20 cm

How wide does woodland strawberry spread?

15-30 cm

How big are the flowers on woodland strawberry?

1-2 cm

When does woodland strawberry bloom?

Spring to early Summer

Is woodland strawberry edible?

Yes

Is woodland strawberry toxic?

None