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Fragaria vesca - Cham.&Schltdl.                
                 
Common Name Californian Strawberry
Family Rosaceae
Synonyms Fragaria vesca californica. (Cham.&Schldl.)Staudt.
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Shaded, fairly damp places in woodland[200].
Range South-western N. America - California.
Edibility Rating  
Medicinal Rating  
Care
Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun

Summary       

Physical Characteristics       
 icon of manicon of flower
Fragaria vesca is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft).
It is not frost tender. It is in flower from Apr to May, and the seeds ripen from Jun to July. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.


Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Fragaria vesca Californian Strawberry


http://flickr.com/photos/11158528%40N08
Fragaria vesca Californian Strawberry
   
Habitats       
Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;
Edible Uses                                         
Edible Parts: Fruit;  Leaves.
Edible Uses: Coffee;  Tea.

Fruit - raw[105, 161, 257]. Aromatic, sweet and succulent[183]. The fruit can also be dried for later use[177, 183]. The fruit is about 15mm in diameter[200]. The fresh or dried leaves are used to brew an excellent tea[183].
Medicinal Uses


Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Antidiarrhoeal;  Antirheumatic;  Astringent;  Diuretic;  Laxative;  Tonic.

The leaves are astringent. A decoction has been used in the treatment of dysentery[257].
Other Uses
Cosmetic;  Teeth.

None known
Cultivation details                                         
Prefers a fertile, well-drained, moisture retentive soil in a sunny position[200]. Tolerates semi-shade though fruit production will be reduced. A vigorous plant, spreading rapidly by means of runners. It flowers freely with us, but has not set fruit on our Cornwall trial ground as yet, possibly because all our plants are one clone[K].
                                                                                 
Propagation                                         
Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse. The seed can take 4 weeks or more to germinate. The seedlings are very small and slow-growing at first, but then grow rapidly. Prick them out into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out during the summer. Division of runners, preferably done in July/August in order to allow the plants to become established for the following years crop[200]. They can also be moved in the following spring if required, though should not then be allowed to fruit in their first year. The runners can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.
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Expert comment                                         
 
      
Author                                         
Cham.&Schltdl.
                                                                                 
Botanical References                                         
71200
                                                                                 
Links / References                                         

  [K] Ken Fern Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[105]Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
[161]Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237.
A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
[177]Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption.
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[257]Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

Readers comment                                         
 
Elizabeth H.
lisa latinmer Tue Aug 10 14:27:36 2004

Link: pink plants

Elizabeth H.
Oskar Sun Apr 13 2008
I could not find an English reference for this, but for example the Finnish wikipedia page says that fragaria vesca can cause an allergic reaction especially in small children.
Elizabeth H.
Ruby Khan Wed Aug 26 2009
Hi, My self Ms. Ruby Khan and I am using Fragaria Vesca 200 Medicine for get white and glowing fair Skin. Can you plz tell what ever I want I will get by the same medicine or not?
Rowan A.
Mar 27 2013 12:00AM
Frgaria vesca is actually native to Britain!
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