Wild Strawberry
Fragaria virginiana
Family: Rosaceae (ro-ZAY-see-ay) - From rosa or rose family.
Genus: Fragaria (frag-AY-ree-uh) - From the Latin fraga,
strawberry, which in turn may have come from fragrans, fragrant,
for the pleasant odour from the fruit.
Species: virginiana (vir-jin-ee-AN-uh) - Of or from Virginia,
which in turn was named aft4er Queen Elizabeth I of England.
Creeping plants, like strawberries, have
runners or stolons. These stems grow
sideways on the surface of the soil and
send up new strawberry plants.
The two most common strawberry species
bear long stalked typical rose-like flowers:
white in the wild strawberry and yellow in
the barren.
Wild Strawberry
The strawberry is a prostrate
member of the rose family
characterized by long stalked
compound basal leaves (three
leaflets).
Wild Strawberry is a common
creeping plant that grows in
Altona forest and can be found
in the forest or in open areas. It
can grow up to 15 cm tall.
Notice the poison ivy in this
picture and that it also has
three leaflets but distinctly
different.
-- POISON IVY
Wild Strawberry
The leaflet edges are entirely big toothed. The petioles are hairy.
Wild Strawberry
The white flowers are five
petalled.
Wild Strawberries bloom from April to June. The flowers are
small, about 2 cm wide.
Wild Strawberry
The fruit contains dry seeds.
The wild strawberry is found in the
open fields of Altona Forest.
Wild Strawberry
Birds and other animals can help Wild Strawberry spread by
pooping seeds out in new places.
The birds and animals of Altona Forest which eat wild
strawberries include:
Crow, sparrows, wild turkey, blue jay, robin,northern cardinal,
skunk, chipmunk, vole and mouse.
Altona Forest animals that eat strawberry leaves include
rabbits, white-tailed Deer and some insects . Wild Strawberry
flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees, flies, ants, and
butterflies such as the cabbage white, and clouded sulphur.
Barren Strawberry
Waldsteinia fragarioides
Family: Rosaceae (ro-ZAY-see-ay) From rosa or rose family.
Genus: Waldsteinia (wald-STINE-ee-uh) Named for Count Franz
Adam von Waldstein-Wartenberg (1759 – 1823), who was an
early 19th century Austrian botanist. He was part-author of the
detailed illustrated book on the plants of Hungary.
Species: fragarioides (fray-gare-ee-OY-deez) Like Fragaria
which is from the Latin for strawberry.
Barren Strawberry is native to Canada.
Barren Strawberries
Barren strawberry has 3 leaflets on long stalks. They are roughly oval
and 3-5 cm long. The margins are broadly toothed.
The yellow flowers have 5 petals, 5 sepals and many stamens. They are
5-10 mm long, 3-6 mm wide and have several in loose clusters.
The flowering stems are leafless.
It flowers from April to May.
Barren Strawberry
This strawberry is found in the woods of
Altona Forest. The stem produces runners
as a way to reproduce.
The plant does not produce any fruit and is
therefore barren.
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