Wild strawberries are the smaller, much more aromatic relatives of cultivated strawberries. We present the wild strawberry and its cultivated forms and give tips on cultivation, care and use.
The small wild strawberries inspire with the uniquely delicious aroma of their fruits. We will tell you how you can successfully grow and harvest wild strawberries yourself.
Wild strawberries: flowers, taste and properties
The wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) is closely related to our cultivated strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa ) and belongs to the rose family (Rosaceae). It occurs widely in the temperate zone of Eurasia. The forest edge dweller has a thick rootstock and a basal leaf rosette with typical three-part, toothed leaves. The perennial native to us is completely hardy. Depending on the amount of light and the location, it reaches a growth height of 5 to 20 cm and spreads out over numerous foothills. In May, the five-petalled white flowers of the wild strawberry develop on erect, later overhanging stalks. In June and July, the 1 to 2 cm large, deep red, pointed, edible false fruits of the wild strawberry ripen and develop their typical aroma.
What is a strawberry of the month? Monthly strawberries (Fragaria vesca var. semperflorens) were selected from the wild strawberry and processed by breeding. They are very similar to wild strawberries, but are slightly larger and rarely form runners. Harvesting of monthly strawberries lasts several months, from June to the end of September.
Tip: Wild strawberries are sometimes confused with Indian mock strawberries (Potentilla indica). This immigrant neophyte is also known as the false wild strawberry, as it produces red, edible fruits that taste watery and bland. Both types can be clearly distinguished during the flowering period. Wild strawberries flower white, Indian wild strawberries light yellow and form a conspicuous ring of large, notched sepals. The fruits of the Indian mock strawberry are also flat-topped and sit on straight flower stalks that are notoverhang.
Recommended Varieties of Fragaria vesca
There is no variety differentiation for the wild wild strawberries, but there is for the monthly strawberries produced from them. In the following we will introduce you to different varieties of monthly strawberries and their properties.
- ‘Alexandria’: Strawberry of the month without stolons. This variety flowers and bears fruit from June to the end of September. It is well suited for balcony boxes and as a site-faithful companion plant in forest-like woody beds.
- ‘Attila’: Red monthly strawberry that produces many runners and bears fruit until late autumn. Bears fruit in the first year after sowing and quickly forms a carpet of plants covering the ground.
- ‘Baron Solemacher’: Two varieties of runner-forming selection with red or white strawberry fruits. Variety for ground cover or underplanting until late autumn.
- 'Rügen': Red monthly strawberry with very good fruit yield, delicious taste of wild strawberries and hardly any runners. It was created in 1920, meanwhile there is a new selection, the 'Improved Rügen'. Ideal for edging beds and keeping in large tubs.
- ‘Yellow Wonder’: White-yellow monthly strawberry without stolons. Harvest time of the sweet, aromatic fruits between June and September.
- 'White Soul': Creamy white monthly strawberry with hardly any runners and sweet, aromatic wild strawberry taste.
Planting wild strawberries: location, time and procedure
Wild strawberries can be planted in the shade or part shade, but they prefer a sunny position. The ideal location for wild strawberries is fresh to moderately dry, nutrient-rich and slightly loamy soil with a slightly acidic pH value. Wet, clayey and compacted soils are unsuitable for wild strawberries as they can lead to root rot. Wild strawberries and a few monthly strawberries form runners and are ideal for ground cover or greening under shrubs and fruit trees. Varieties without runners can be planted without hesitation to frame beds or as companion plants in perennial beds. All selections and wild forms can be cultivated in groups in larger planters. Wild strawberries can also be grown in pots and boxes on the balcony.
The ideal time to plant this and other perennials is late autumnbetween mid-October and late November. During this time, the perennial plants slowly go into hibernation and only form roots after planting. The fresh leaf shoots in spring are already supplied with water and nutrients by the new fine roots. The perennials can also be planted in March and April. But then they need regular watering to get through the summer well.
Many varieties are only propagated from wild strawberry seeds. It begins in February on the warm, bright window sill. To do this, prepare a seed container with a nutrient-poor potting soil mixed half with sand. The seeds of the wild strawberry or monthly strawberry are applied superficially and only very lightly covered with soil. Always keep the seeds moist, the easiest way to do this is with a spray bottle. The tender strawberry plants germinate after three to four weeks. If the wild strawberries already have four leaves, they can be transplanted into nutrient-rich soil and planted outdoors as a strong young plant. Some monthly strawberry varieties flower and bear fruit in the first year, some only in the year after sowing.
Loosen the future soil for planting the wild strawberries over a large area and bring in some compost if necessary. Alternatively, fill a planter with a loose potting soil such as our Plantura organic universal soil. The high compost content of our soil stores moisture - instead of the peat that is degraded, which is harmful to the climate - and releases it to the plant roots when required. Use a hand shovel to plant the wild strawberries no deeper into the loosened soil than before, so that the young buds are exposed in the middle of the leaf rosette. You should keep a planting distance of 15 to 25 cm between individual wild strawberries. If you plant wild strawberries as ground cover, seven to nine plants per square meter should be planted. Press the soil well all around and then water it vigorously.
Planting Wild Strawberries: Summary
- Location: Preferably in the sun; Shade and partial shade possible
- Soil: Fresh to moderately dry, nutritious, somewhat loamy, slightly acidic pH value
- Time: mid-October - end of November; March/April
- Planting distance: 15 - 25 centimeters
The most important care measures
Wild strawberries are easy to care for. In hot and dry summers it should still be used occasionallybe watered for support. Wild strawberries are only fertilized in the spring for flowering and after the fruit has been harvested in early autumn. With the help of an organic liquid fertiliser, such as our Plantura organic tomato & vegetable fertiliser, the amount of nutrients extracted is supplied by the fruit formation and the formation of flowers is supported. Pests are rarely observed on wild strawberries, gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) and powdery mildew can occur as diseases. If the wild strawberries are in pots or balcony boxes, they should definitely be repotted in new soil every two to three years. The substrate sags over time and important trace nutrients, which fertilizers often do not contain, become scarce.
Propagating wild strawberries: sowing and offshoots
Wild strawberries can be propagated from seeds or by natural cuttings. The quickest way to propagate wild strawberries is to cut off the stolons that are plentiful. The offshoots of the wild strawberries have often already formed roots, so they grow quickly even after transplanting. However, depending on the variety, monthly strawberries form little or no runners at all and can therefore usually be propagated by sowing. To obtain the seeds, quarter the ripe wild strawberries and dry them gently in the sun or in the oven at 50 °C. If the pulp is completely dry, you can simply rub off the seeds on the surface. These nuts can now lie in the air and dry for a few more days. Then keep the wild strawberry seeds in a dry, cool and dark place until you sow them as described above.
Wild Berries: Harvest Time and Use
The edible wild strawberries are picked by hand from the bushes in summer and usually eaten straight away. Once harvested, the pressure-sensitive fruit keeps well for just a few hours to a day before turning mushy. For processing, you should always harvest the wild strawberries fresh. Wild strawberry jam is particularly tasty, but juice, syrup, liqueur and vinegar are also good alternatives for preserving the perishable fruit. However, people with a strawberry allergy and a tendency to hives should also avoid the fruits of the wild strawberry. Wild strawberry leaves are used as teas in folk medicine to relieve digestive problems, rheumatism, gout, liver disease and urinary tract disorders.
More delicious local fruit bushes andForest dwellers in our latitudes are cranberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea). Find out everything about the special requirements, planting, care and harvest of the fresh, sour berries in our article.