Fragaria californica
| Fragaria californica | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring-Late Spring |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Fragaria californica (common name: californian strawberry)
Propagation: Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse. The seed can take 4 weeks or more to germinate. The seedlings are very small and slow-growing at first, but then grow rapidly. Prick them out into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out during the summer.
Division of runners, preferably done in July/August in order to allow the plants to become established for the following years crop[1]. They can also be moved in the following spring if required, though should not then be allowed to fruit in their first year. The runners can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.
Cultivation: Prefers a fertile, well-drained, moisture retentive soil in a sunny position[1]. Tolerates semi-shade though fruit production will be reduced.
A vigorous plant, spreading rapidly by means of runners. It flowers freely with us, but has not set fruit on our Cornwall trial ground as yet, possibly because all our plants are one clone[K].
Range: South-western N. America - California.
Habitat: Shaded, fairly damp places in woodland[1].
Edibility: Fruit - raw[2][3][4]. Aromatic, sweet and succulent[5]. The fruit can also be dried for later use[6][5]. The fruit is about 15mm in diameter[1].
The fresh or dried leaves are used to brew an excellent tea[5].
Medicinal: The leaves are astringent. A decoction has been used in the treatment of dysentery[4].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Early Summer-Mid Summer
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: Fragaria vesca californica. (Cham.&Schldl.)Staudt.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.