Fragaria vesca ssp. americana

Native

Woods

April to June

White

4″ to 6″

This 4″ to 6″ tall, erect, perennial forb is found in the woods, hence the common name.

The leaves are three-parted and are borne on long, hairy stalks that emerge from the central taproot in the ground. The leaflets are bright green to yellowish-green, coarsely toothed, and thin. They are stalkless. The terminal tooth of the leaflet is more than half as wide and as long or longer than (protrudes beyond or equals) the two adjacent teeth. The lateral veins branch off of the central vein at an angle of about 45°.

The flowers sit well above the leaves. They are borne on separate, long stalks from the central taproot in the ground. The flower has 5 petals and is ½″ wide.

The fruit is an accessory fruit, consisting of a fleshy receptacle with achenes on the surface. It is slender and elliptical. The seed-like achenes are deeply embedded in pits on the surface of the fruit.

Common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) has larger flowers and fruit. The flowers sit at about the same height as the leaves. The seed-like achenes sit on the surface of the fruit. The leaves are narrower and more tapering. The terminal tooth is narrower (less than half as wide) and shorter (does not protrude beyond) than the two adjacent teeth.