Ontario Wildflowers website

Wild Strawberry
Fragaria virginiana

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) Other common names: Field Strawberry, Scarlet Strawberry, Virginia Strawberry

French names: Fraisier des champs

Family: Rose Family (Rosaceae)

Group: Strawberries

Similar species:
  •   Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) - Flowers above the leaves; terminal tooth of leaflets large; leaflets don't have stems.


Flowers: Spring;  White;  5 parts (petals);  Flowers at about the same level as the leaves.

Leaves: Compound, Toothed;  The terminal tooth of the leaves is much smaller than the ones beside it. The leaflets have stems (petioles).

Height: 5-15 cm (1-5 in)

Fruit/Seeds: Seeds are sunken in deperssions of the surface of the fruit.

Habitat: Fields and Open Areas

Grows in Sun/Shade: Sun

Books: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: 184   

Native/Non-native: Native

Notes: A groundcover for full sun, which produces a small edible strawberry. Since it blooms early in the year, it is a good pollinator plant for sunny meadows, prairies.

Origin and Meaning of Names:
 Scientific Name: virginiana: of Virginia, Virginian


Photographs: 109 photographs available, of which 4 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) plant

Wild Strawberry flowers are usually around the same level as the leaves. The flowers of the very similar species, Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) are usually above the leaves.

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) flower

Closer view of a flower; this flower is almost done.

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) flowers

A cluster of flowers.

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) leaf

A Wild Strawberry leaf.


Range map for Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)