woodland strawberry

The woodland strawberry, also known as the wood strawberry or alpine strawberry, refers to wild strawberry plants, particularly Fragaria vesca. These plants are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.1

Woodland strawberries are low-growing herbaceous plants with compound leaves, typically with three leaflets. Their flowers are usually white and borne in small clusters. Botanically, the strawberry fruit is an accessory fruit, not a true berry. The fleshy part is the enlarged flower receptacle, with the true fruits, called achenes, embedded within it.1

These wild strawberries produce small, intensely flavorful fruits and are among the species used in breeding the common garden strawberry. They can be found in various habitats, including open woodlands and meadows.21