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Fragaria virginiana - Duchesne.

Common Name Scarlet Strawberry, Virginia strawberry
Family Rosaceae
USDA hardiness 3-7
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Fields, open slopes and woodland edges[43].
Range Eastern N. America - Newfoundland to South Dakota, south to Florida and Oklahoma.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential Yes
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Fragaria virginiana Scarlet Strawberry, Virginia strawberry


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Wsiegmund
Fragaria virginiana Scarlet Strawberry, Virginia strawberry
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Wsiegmund

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Fragaria virginiana is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen from June to July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

F. glauca(S. Wats.)Rydb.

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses: Tea

Fruit - raw, cooked or made into preserves[2, 27, 101, 183]. Sweet and succulent. Small but delicious[159]. The fruit is up to 20mm in diameter[200]. The dried leaves are a very pleasant tea substitute[55, 62, 183]. Rich in vitamin C[159].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antiseptic  Astringent  Emmenagogue  Galactogogue  Odontalgic  Poultice  Vitamin C

The whole plant is antiseptic, astringent, emmenagogue, galactogogue and odontalgic[172]. It has been used to regulate the menstrual cycle[172]. A tea made from the leaves has been used as a nerve tonic and is slightly astringent[222]. A poultice made from the dried powdered leaves mixed with oil has been used to treat open sores[257]. A tea made from the roots is diuretic[222]. It has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea, irregular menses, gonorrhoea, stomach and lung ailments[222, 257].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Teeth

The fruits are used as a tooth cleaner[55, 62]. They are held in the mouth, or rubbed over the teeth, to remove tartar[257]. A dynamic accumulator gathering minerals or nutrients from the soil and storing them in a more bioavailable form - used as fertilizer or to improve mulch.

Special Uses

Dynamic accumulator  Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Prefers a fertile, well-drained, moisture retentive soil in a sunny position[27, 200]. 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[18]. 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[119]. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. An evergreen. The plant growth habit is a runner spreading indefinitely by rhizomes or stolons [1-2]. The root pattern is fibrous dividing into a large number of fine roots [1-2]. The root pattern is stoloniferous rooting from creeping stems above the ground [1-2].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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The PFAF Bookshop

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Plant 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[200]. 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.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Québec, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia, United States, Alaska, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, West Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, California, Nevada (west), Utah,

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
FragariaStrawberry, Beach strawberry, Pacific beach strawberry, Sandwich beach strawberry, Virginia strawberPerennial0.2 4-8  LMHSNM303
Fragaria bracteataWoodland StrawberryPerennial0.3 -  LMHSNM20 
Fragaria californicaCalifornian StrawberryPerennial0.3 0-0  LMHSNM210
Fragaria chiloensisBeach Strawberry, Pacific beach strawberry, Sandwich beach strawberryPerennial0.3 4-10  LMHSNM313
Fragaria daltoniana Perennial0.3 -  LMHSNM213
Fragaria iinumaeStrawberryPerennial0.3 -  LMHSNM20 
Fragaria moschataHautbois StrawberryPerennial0.5 5-9  LMHSNM302
Fragaria nilgerrensis Perennial0.2 -  LMHSNM20 
Fragaria nipponica Perennial0.3 -  LMHSNM20 
Fragaria nubicolaIndian StrawberryPerennial0.2 5-9  LMHSNM21 
Fragaria orientalis Perennial0.2 -  LMHSNM30 
Fragaria ovalisRocky Mountain StrawberryPerennial0.2 -  LMHSNM30 
Fragaria vescaWild Strawberry, Woodland strawberry, California strawberryPerennial0.3 4-8  LMHSNM333
Fragaria vesca 'Semperflorens'Alpine StrawberryPerennial0.3 4-8  LMHSNM53 
Fragaria viridisGreen StrawberryPerennial0.3 5-9  LMHSNM303
Fragaria x ananassaStrawberryPerennial0.3 4-8  LMHSNM503

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

Duchesne.

Botanical References

43200235

Links / References

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