Waldsteinia fragarioides

Common Names

Barren Strawberry, Appalachian Barren Strawberry, Common Barren-Strawberry, Faux-Fraisier, Barren-Strawberry

Summary

Waldsteinia fragarioides, commonly called barren strawberry, is an evergreen perennial groundcover in the Rosaceae family native to eastern North America, forming a low mat about 3–6 inches tall and 6–12 inches wide, with glossy trifoliate leaves resembling strawberry foliage but bearing no edible fruit, bright yellow five-petaled flowers appear in spring, and the plant spreads by rhizomes to form dense colonies, in cultivation it prefers sun to partial shade and well-drained, humus-rich soils with medium moisture, it is drought-tolerant once established and hardy in USDA zones 4–7, deer resistant and suitable for a variety of landscapes, it can be used as groundcover for borders, rock gardens, woodland gardens, or edging, and spreads vegetatively by division or by its creeping rhizomes, making it a low-maintenance evergreen understorey or edge plant.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3-6 inches

Spread

6-12 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-7

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally Full Sun to Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained, humus-rich soil with a pH about 5.5–7.0, including rocky material, clay, or loam.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

5.5-7.0, moderately acidic to neutral

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Evergreen green foliage that turns bronze in winter.

Fall Foliage Color

Bronze

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Fast

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

Propagation Methods

Division, Seed propagation (limited)

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, flies, and songbirds