Wild Strawberries are NOT poisonous or I would have died 100+ times already
Growing up, Mom use to tell us that wild strawberries were poisonous and I never tried them until long after she was gone. It turns out that there is a mock strawberry and people mistakenly think they are poisonous. This carries over to actual Wild Strawberries.
Wild Strawberry image source - Pixabay
The truth is they are both edible but true wild strawberries taste nice and sweet, much like a regular strawberry, Mock Strawberries don’t have much taste at all. You can still eat them and in a survival situation they can keep you from starving, but the true wild strawberry will taste better.
Wild Strawberry image source - Pixabay
How to spot the difference
Fragaria vesca, commonly called wild strawberry, woodland strawberry, Alpine strawberry, Carpathian Strawberry, European strawberry, or fraisier des bois
There are 3 telltale things to look for.
True Wild Strawberries
1 – When crushed they smell like strawberries
2 – They dangle on the vine
3 – Have white blooms
Mock Strawberries
Duchesnea indica (sometimes called Potentilla indica), known commonly by the names mock strawberry, Indian strawberry, or false strawberry.
1 – Have no smell when crushed
2 – Grow straight up without dangling
3 – Have yellow blooms
A Mock Wild Strawberry Bloom – Source: Wikimedia user thegreenj
Wild Strawberry flower image source pixabay
Wild Strawberries are great to grow in your yard
The plants range from about 6 to 12 inches tall and they grow well in USDA zones 3 – 10. If allowed to grow unheeded, wild strawberries will grow to cover a very large area. In the deep south, they grow well in semi-shady spots but cannot take full sun. They do need some sun however, or they will not produce fruit. Further north, they can deal with more direct sun. They need moist but not wet soil. Too much moisture will cause the root system to fail.
They can be grown from seed or root stock and are available from many online plant nurseries. They are a food source for many birds, small animals and deer, elk and moose. All of which help to spread the seeds through their droppings.
Image source USDA plant hardiness zone
How to Use Wild Strawberries
Wild Strawberries can be use any way regular strawberries are used. Add them to your smoothies, cereal, oatmeal, pies or simply eat them fresh out of the garden.
When we moved into this house, the backyard was filled with Mock Strawberries. I have been working on getting Wild Strawberries to take over the are of the Mock Strawberry, but without digging up the Mock's, it is a slow process. I don't let that stop me however. If you mix the Mock berries in with the wild and add a little Stevia, they taste pretty good and are much cheaper than buying fresh fruit.
You can help ensure there are plenty of wild strawberries in your area by making seed bombs and tossing them in areas that fit the plant’s needs. See my article on making and using seed bombs
Sources:
[Wikipedia – Mock Strawberries] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mock_strawberry)
[Wikipedia – Wild Strawberries] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragaria_vesca)
Gardeningknowhow.com
[eattheweeds.com] (http://www.eattheweeds.com/potentilla-indica-mistaken-identity-2/)
[fs.fed.us] (https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/fragaria_vesca.shtml)