Wild Strawberries


Their leaves are out there waiting. Possibly waiting for warm weather to inspire flowers. Wild Strawberries (Fragaria virginiana). Waiting for just the right day? angle of the sun? temperature? Maybe all of those things and others that haven’t even occurred to me.

But in past years there have been blooms as the calendar’s top page turns to April. Not this year. April 1 brought a treat for me, snow most of the day but with no accumulation. Surely temperatures that allow snow to fall would be a bit discouraging for Wild Strawberry blooms. But soon.

The little plants that volunteer in my gardens mischievously establishing themselves right where I’d rather they no be. Plants that show up within my sloping gardens where I’m not so fastidious. They’ll produce something wonderful.

Tiny luscious strawberries. Ripe Wild Strawberries in late May or early June? Maybe. A remarkable flavor. More intense than the best cultivated strawberry you’ll ever come across. Wondrous.


2 responses to “Wild Strawberries”

  1. Oh Anita!
    I hope you find some. There is an imposter, which has leaves that look VERY similar. The flowers though of Mock Strawberry (Duchesnea indica) are bright yellow and not white as the Wild Strawberries (Fragaria virginiana) are. The berries too are a bit different. The seeds sit on the outside of the fruit of Mock Strawberry and the fruit is dry. While on Wild Strawberries the seeds sit in little dimple like depressions and the fruit is juicy. If you happen to eat a Mock Strawberry it would be no problem (not toxic) but they just don’t taste very good. Good luck in your search!

    Thank you for reading my posts!
    Bren