Hautbois Strawberry (Fragaria moschata)

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

None known

Fruit - raw. Sweet and succulent. The fruit is small but has an excellent flavour and is very aromatic[61, 142, 183, K]. It is greatly superior to the cultivated strawberries, but is not very freely produced[K].

Plant part: Fruit

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

None known

An excellent ground cover plant, spreading vigorously by means of surface stolons and forming a dense carpet of growth[K]. It grows well amongst shrubs but is likely to suffocate smaller plants[K].

Environment

Range

C. Europe. Perhaps occasionally naturalized in Britain.

Habitat

Forests and shrubberies, and amongst tall grass^[7].

Light

full sun

Shade tolerance

light shade

Water

moderate

Hardiness

Zone 6+

Soil textures

sandy, loamy, clay

Soil pH

acid, neutral, alkaline

Drainage

well drained

Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil

Drought

intolerant

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 July/August in order to allow the plants to become established for the following years crop^[4]. 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.

Cultivation

Prefers a fertile, well-drained, moisture retentive soil in a sunny position^[4]. Tolerates semi-shade though fruit production will be reduced^[6]. Another report says that this species prefers shade^[7]. Succeeds in acid and alkaline soils^[6]. Likes a mulch of pine or spruce leaves^[2]^[5]. At one time this species was widely cultivated for its edible fruit, but it is fairly low yielding and has now been almost totally superseded by cultivars of F. x. ananassa^[1]. There are some named varieties^[3]. The flowers are usually unisexual^[4]. (This report does not say if the plants are dioecious or monoecious.) This species produces few or no stolons^[4].

References

Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

↩

Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00

↩

Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

↩

Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

↩1 ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.

↩

Simmons A. E. Simmons' Manual of Fruit. David & Charles. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-7153-7607-1