Wild Strawberries

(Fragaria vesca)

Wild strawberries are a common creeping plant that grows in forests, fields, lawns, forest edges, roadsides, and streamsides. It can grow up to 15 cm tall, and its leaves are split into three leaflets.

Creeping plants, like strawberries, have runners. Runners are stems that grow sideways on the surface of the soil. As the runners grow, they send up new strawberry plants.

Harvest berries daily during the production season. Once ripened, the fruits last for just a day, so check plants often and discard any overripe berries. Look for berries that are uniformly bright red and slightly soft, with darkening seeds. Pick off the plant with the stem and cap intact and collect it in shallow containers to prevent bruising.

The fruit is really best eaten right off the plant, or immediately after picking with cream, sugar, or on cereal. They are a gourmet treat in pie, jam, ice cream, shortcake, or dried. However, you’ll need to collect quite a few of the tiny berries and add your daily cache to a container in the freezer until you have enough to cook with.

In the landscape, wild strawberries are lovely edging along a flower bed or sidewalk. Plant them in a well-travelled part of the yard, so they can be picked often.