Practical
Plants

Fragaria virginiana

Scarlet Strawberry

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rosaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.3 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

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

Edible uses

Fruit - raw, cooked or made into preserves[7][12][1][6]. Sweet and succulent. Small but delicious[3]. The fruit is up to 20mm in diameter[8]. The dried leaves are a very pleasant tea substitute[14][15][6]. Rich in vitamin C[3].

Plant part
Fruit
Product or use
Tea

Medicinal uses

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.

The whole plant is antiseptic, astringent, emmenagogue, galactogogue and odontalgic[4]. It has been used to regulate the menstrual cycle[4]. A tea made from the leaves has been used as a nerve tonic and is slightly astringent[9]. A poultice made from the dried powdered leaves mixed with oil has been used to treat open sores[11]. A tea made from the roots is diuretic[9]. It has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea, irregular menses, gonorrhoea, stomach and lung ailments[9][11].

Product or use
Antiseptic
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Emmenagogue
Product or use
Galactogogue
Product or use
Odontalgic
Product or use
Poultice

Material uses

The fruits are used as a tooth cleaner[14][15]. They are held in the mouth, or rubbed over the teeth, to remove tartar[11].

Product or use
Dental care

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - Newfoundland to South Dakota, south to Florida and Oklahoma.
Habitat
Fields, open slopes and woodland edges[13].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
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[8]. 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[12][8]. Tolerates semi-shade though fruit production will be reduced when plants grow in such a position. The plants appreciate a mulch of pine or spruce leaves[5]. Along with F, chiloensis, this species is probably a parent of the cultivated strawberries. The cultivar 'Little Scarlet' is a form of this species and this is still occasionally cultivated for its fruit in Britain[2].

References

  1. Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences 1978-00-00

    ↩

  2. Roach. F. A. Cultivated Fruits of Britain. Oxford University Press 1985-00-00

    ↩

  3. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4

    ↩1↩2

  4. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  7. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2↩3

  10. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

  11. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  12. Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8

    ↩1↩2

  13. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  14. Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  15. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

    ↩1↩2

Edit this page