|
Wild Strawberry by Kylie Williamson Fragaria virginiana, or the wild strawberry, as it is most commonly known, is just one of a wide variety of fruit-producing plants. It is also called the scarlet strawberry or the Virginia strawberry. Just as the name Virginia strawberry leads us to believe, Fragaria virginiana is native to eastern North America. In fact, the large-fruited garden strawberries which are cultivated all over the world today originated from the natural hybridization between Fragaria virginiana, and Fragaria chiloensis, a strawberry native to western North America and Chile. A member of phylum Anthophyta (flowering plants), order Rosales, and family Rosaceae (Rose family), the Virginia strawberry is a small, low growing herbaceous perennial, three to six inches in height. Basal leaves, which arise from a crown, are borne in loose rosettes. Each compound leaf consists of three thick, broadly oval, toothed leaflets which grow directly from the thick rootstock. The hairy herb, which stems from the rootstock, is stout and dark green. It sends out long, thick runners that enable the plant to be used as a groundcover. The strawberry has a fibrous root system that becomes tougher, and more woody as the plant ages. Eventually the "mother" crown sends out runners that touch the ground and root, enlarging the plant. The rose-like flowers are generally white, though pink-flowered and red-flowered plants do exist. The flowers are borne in small clusters on tiny stalks, arising from the axils of the leaves. Brightly colored yellow stamens and pistils are found in the middle of the white petals. Plants can be found in bloom from March to August. After fertilization, while the fruit is ripening, the flower stalks bend downward. The round, juicy fruit, which the strawberry plant is known for, is commonly referred to as a berry. But in a botanical sense, it is much more than a single fruit. The "berry" is actually the greatly enlarged stem end, in which many true fruits, or achenes, are partially embedded. What are achenes? They are the small seed-like structures visible on the outside of the strawberry. The fruit of the Virginia strawberry is much like that of the cultivated strawberry. The only noticeable difference is that the wild strawberry is much smaller, and tastier according to some people. The fruit of both types of plants grows from trusses. Each truss contains three or more fruits that are generally located just below the canopy formed by the leaves. A characteristic unique to the wild strawberry is its habitat. Fragaria virginiana, unlike the cultivated strawberries, can have a wide range of habitats. Wild strawberries are adaptable to open woods, fields, fens, prairies, and dry soils of Canada and much of the Eastern half of the U.S., whereas cultivated plants require moisture-retaining soil or irrigation systems because they are highly susceptible to drought. Written fall 2000, as a service learning project for Dr. Gary Coté's Biology 102 class at Radford University. Copyright Pathways for Radford. |
