Fragaria virginiana - wild strawberry

Height:  to 9"
Width: 2' +
Light Needs: full sun to part shade
Water: average to moist
Flower color: white
Bloom time: spring
                                                                                                                                                  This low-growing plant spreads by runners making it useful as a groundcover. Clusters of small white flowers appear in spring and are followed by edible, red fruits. The fruits are smaller than those of commercial strawberry hybrids but are just as tasty. This plant will require some management in a formal garden. It is suitable for use in an informal garden, for naturalizing and in containers. The flowers attract butterflies and bees. The fruits are eaten by birds, box turtles and other small animals - unless you get them first. The caterpillars of the gray hairstreak butterfly and several moths feed on this plant. It is reported by some to be deer resistant but we have seen some evidence of deer browse at the Upstate Native Nursery.