Fragaria virginiana (Fr: fraisier des champs | En: Field Strawberry)

Field Strawberry

Fragaria virginiana
Alternative names: Wild Strawberry, Virginia Strawberry
French: Fraisier des champs

The Field Strawberry is one of our two native wild strawberry species, and as its name suggests, it’s best suited for open, sunny places like meadows, sand plains, and rock outcrops. It does especially well in sandy or rocky soils and loves full sun.

This low-growing plant spreads quickly by stolons (runners), and in the right conditions, a single plant can produce dozens of new ones in a year. Thanks to its short height and tolerance for light foot traffic, it makes an excellent native ground cover or even a lawn alternative.

Fragaria virginiana produces small but delicious strawberries, loved by people, birds, and small animals alike. In our region, we have at least two subspecies that evolved in different ice age refuges—this one is most likely subsp. virginiana, but we hope to offer subsp. glauca in the future.

Height & Spread: 5–15 cm tall, spreads vigorously by stolons
Light: Full sun
Moisture: Drought-tolerant once established
Soil: Adaptable; prefers sandy or rocky, well-drained soils
Habitat: Meadows, sand barrens, rock barrens, alvars, shorelines, mowed yards
Ecological benefits: Attracts pollinators, provides food for birds and small mammals
Edible: Yes – small, flavourful strawberries