SEED ORDERS OVER $100 SHIP FREE!
Fragaria virginiana

Wild Strawberry

$3.00

Packet
$3.00

Bare Root Plants
Out of Stock

Tray of 32
Out of Stock
3 Pack
Out of Stock

Not only do you get the early-summer white blossoms and edible fruit, but the Wild Strawberry plant takes on a great red fall color also. It is best introduced into a situation using plants; it spreads by runners readily. Wild Strawberries grows in a wide variety of sun and soil conditions: full sun to nearly full shade, prairie, meadows, fields, on moist ground, along the edge of woods, and on hillsides. The fruit ripens in late spring or early summer. They are much smaller than commercial strawberries but probably the most delicious of the wild fruits.

Virginia Strawberry is another common name for this species.

*This species may be difficult and/or slow to germinate and grow to maturity. Please note the germination code. Seed of this species is kept under refrigeration (33-38 F) in our warehouse. The days in transit to you in colder or warmer conditions won’t harm the seed, but it should be put back in refrigeration until you are ready to plant or apply pre-sowing treatment.

Live Plant Shipping Table

Spring Fall Age/Size
Dormant Bare Roots
April/May October 1 year
Potted 3-Packs
N/A August/September 2.5" wide x 3.5" deep pots
Potted Trays of 32
April/May August/September 2.5" wide x 3.5" deep pots

Fragaria virginiana - Wild Strawberry

Map Key

Present in state
Present but introduced in county
Present and native in county; not rare
Not present in state
Present and native in county; rare
Species extirpated (historic)
State or county listed as noxious
Present in state; exotic

This map shows the native and introduced (adventive) range of this species. Given appropriate habitat and climate, native plants can be grown outside their range.

10 Questions asked on Fragaria virginiana

This plant has a huge native range encompassing wildly different eco-regions; what source populations do your plants come from?
Hi Alex. We take great pride in keeping good genetic records on all of our plants. The genotype can change for any of our plants/seed from year to year, or we could have multiple lots from different areas of the Midwest, but we do always record that information.
Is there any benefit in growing wild strawberry? Other than the fruit, obviously. Is it a big hit with wildlife? If so, should I just plant it in my lawn or in a bed?
We have published a PLANT/INSECT INTERACTIONS chart with Heather Holm's help. Wild Strawberry attracts 7 of the 9 categories of pollinating insects/birds in this chart!

I don't think it will do well long-term in a traditional lawn. Although it spreads by runners and seeds, the thick mat that lawn grass is intended to form would choke out the strawberry plants eventually. I think using it around garden edges (wet or dry! full sun or full shade!) would be effective. Or, yes, in its own garden bed, would be ideal. It spreads so readily, you could dig new plants each year and establish them in different spots.
I started with a few plants from PMN several years ago and have enjoyed their blossoms and the pollinators they attract. But in all this time I have yet to see a strawberry! It's growing everywhere, sun, shade, moist soil, dry—as you say it does (exclamatorily). What's up with this plant? I live in rural western Maryland, Washington County, if that helps at all. I'd really love to enjoy the fruit of this otherwise fine ground cover. Thank you.
Thanks for writing, Judith. I ask myself that question nearly every year. I have hundreds of Wild Strawberries covering a slope on a wood’s edge near my home and, unless I am extremely vigilant, checking daily, I miss the fruits or find only a couple. I blame the birds, chipmunks and other woodland critters who abound here. A few plants are flowering already in our chilly spring and I’m hoping that this year I can find fruits first. They are tiny but packed with tangy flavor. Good luck this year.
Can this plant tolerate occasional foot traffic or is it too delicate? I'm not thinking of putting it in a pathway but it might get walked on sometimes.
Hi Iris, Yes, this species can tolerate light foot traffic.
Will this grow in acid soil under walnut and beechnut trees? Will it do better in full or part shade?
Hi Mandy, Fragaria will grow well in mildly acidic soils, but it may struggle under walnuts. Though it is shade-tolerant, it will probably do better with more sun.
If seeds are planted in early winter and naturally stratify, how much growth can you expect the first growing season? Will they begin to spread, flower, and fruit in the first year? Many native perennials do not bloom for 2 or 3 years, but this plant much smaller than most.
After speaking with our production manager, he said that it is common for these species to bloom after 2 years, sometimes (if lucky) they may bloom in the first year! Best of luck to you!
Can these plants become invasive?
Hi Laura. No, despite Wild Strawberry putting out runners, they are easily managed. They are shallow-rooted and can be dug out; they won't spread fast by seed like many known invasives.
What plants do wild strawberries grow alongside in the wild? Would they establish well alongside side oats grama? Or is that grass too tall?
Hi Nick. True, Wild Strawberry is incredibly versatile so could grow with drier prairie grasses like Side-Oats, but yes, it may not thrive or be choked out since it likes to hug the ground. Here in SE MN we see it most happy in part sun to full sun situations growing with shorter plants like native Violets, Virginia Waterleaf, Pennsylvania Sedge.
I purchased a tray of Fragaria virginiana a couple of hears ago. They are thriving but I am surprised by how large the leaves are. They are even larger than the strawberries I grow for fruit. Is this normal? Strawberries I see in the wild are much smaller.
Hello Janet, Here is a note from our head grower. "We have noticed that they get really big in the Green House. All seed lots we have grown out get much bigger than they were originally. They seem to do this with any degree of cultivation."
How much space will an 1/8 oz cover?
HI Eric. It's hard to advise since the germination can be sporatic and/or slow to grow perennials from seed. Strawberry has 83,000 seeds per oz so 1/8 oz = rougly 1038. Sprinkle that over 25 sq ft and you get 41 seeds on every sq ft. They are very tiny seeds so this might be reasonable. But again, it's impossible to say if that 25 sq ft will then be covered in Wild Strawberry plants in a few years. I like to suggest planting late fall in a garden row setting. Look for strong juvenile plants in 1-2 years and transplant them out to their permanent spot to then fill in and spread, if conditions are right.

Seed

Growing your own plants from seed is the most economical way to add natives to your home. Before you get started, one of the most important things to know about the seeds of wild plants is that many have built-in dormancy mechanisms that prevent the seed from germinating. In nature, this prevents a population of plants from germinating all at once, before killing frosts, or in times of drought. To propagate native plants, a gardener must break this dormancy before seed will grow.

Each species is different, so be sure to check the GERMINATION CODE listed on the website, in the catalog, or on your seed packet. Then, follow the GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS prior to planting. Some species don't need any pre-treatment to germinate, but some species have dormancy mechanisms that must be broken before the seed will germinate. Some dormancy can be broken in a few minutes, but some species take months or even years.

Seed dormancy can be broken artificially by prolonged refrigeration of damp seed in the process of cold/moist STRATIFICATION. A less complicated approach is to let nature handle the stratifying through a dormant seeding, sowing seeds on the surface of a weed-free site in late fall or winter. Tucked safely beneath the snow, seeds will be conditioned by weathering to make germination possible in subsequent growing seasons.

To learn more, read our BLOG: How to Germinate Native Seeds

Dormant Bare Root Plants

We dig plants when they are dormant from our outdoor beds and ship them April-May and October. Some species go dormant in the summer and we can ship them July/August. We are among the few still employing this production method, which is labor intensive but plant-friendly. They arrive to you dormant, with little to no top-growth (bare-root), packed in peat moss. They should be planted as soon as possible. Unlike greenhouse-grown plants, bare-root plants can be planted during cold weather or anytime the soil is not frozen. A root photo is included with each species to illustrate the optimal depth and orientation. Planting instructions/care are also included with each order.

Download: Installing Your Bare-Root Plants

Potted Plants

3-packs and trays of 32, 38, or 50 plants leave our Midwest greenhouses based on species readiness (being well-rooted for transit) and order date; Spring shipping is typically early May through June, and Fall shipping is mid-August through September. Potted 3-packs and trays of 38 plugs are started from seed in the winter so are typically 3-4 months old when they ship. Trays of 32/50 plugs are usually overwintered so are 1 year old. Plant tray cells are approximately 2” wide x 5” deep in the trays of 38 and 50, and 2.5" wide x 3.5" deep in the 3-packs and trays of 32; ideal for deep-rooted natives. Full-color tags and planting & care instructions are included with each order.

Download: Planting and Care of Potted Plants

*PLEASE NOTE: we are a mail order nursery and have no retail facilities, but you may pick up your order if prior arrangements are made. Pick up orders are subject to **MN Sales Tax.

US Shipping & Handling Charges

SEED $100.00 and under: $5.00
Retail SEED orders over $100.00 ship free!

Custom seed mixes or discounted seed sales over $100, add 5% of the total seed cost
(for orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required)

BARE ROOT and POTTED PLANTS $50.00 and under: $9.00
over $50.00: 18% of the total plant cost. (For orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required.)

TOOLS and BOOKS have the shipping fee included in the cost of the product (within the contiguous US).

**We are required to collect state sales tax in certain states. Your state's eligibility and % will be calculated at checkout. MN State Sales Tax of 7.375% is applied for orders picked up at our MN location. Shipping & handling charges are also subject to the sales tax.

Shipping Season

SEED, TOOLS and BOOKS are sent year-round. Most orders ship within 1-3 business days.

BARE ROOT PLANTS are shipped during optimal transplanting time: Spring (April-May) and Fall (Oct). Some ephemeral species are also available for summer shipping. Since our plants are field-grown, Nature sets the schedule each year as to when our season will begin and end. We fill all orders, on a first-come, first-serve basis, to the best of our ability depending on weather conditions beyond our control.

POTTED PLANTS (Trays of 32/38/50 plugs and 3-packs) typically begin shipping early May and go into June; shipping time is heavily dependent on all the species in your order being well-rooted. If winter-spring greenhouse growing conditions are favorable and all species are well-rooted at once, then we ship by order date (first come, first serve). We are a Midwest greenhouse, and due to the challenges of getting all the species in the Mix & Match and Pre-Designed Garden Kits transit-ready at the same time, we typically can't ship before early May. Earlier shipment requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

*We are unable to ship PLANTS (bare root or potted) outside the contiguous US or to CALIFORNIA due to regulations.

Delivery

We ship using USPS, UPS and Spee Dee. UPS and Spee Dee are often used for expediting plant orders; they will not deliver to Post Office Box numbers, so please also include your street address if ordering plants. We send tracking numbers to your email address so please include it when you order.

FOR MORE DETAILED SHIPPING INFORMATION, INCLUDING CANADA SHIPPING RATES (SEED ONLY), PLEASE SEE 'SHIPPING' AT THE FOOTER OF THIS WEBSITE.

Details

Seeds/Packet
60
Seeds/Ounce
83,000
Germination Code
C(60)
Life Cycle
Perennial
Sun Exposure
Full, Partial, Shade
Soil Moisture
Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Height
6 inches
Bloom Time
April, May, June
Bloom Color
White
Advantages
Bird Favorite: seeds, insects, fruit, nectar, nesting, perch
Deer Resistant
Highly recommended for home landscaping
USDA Zones
3-8
Plant Spacing
3-10"
Catalog Code
FRA02F