Strawberries for Groundcover & Snacks
Love Plants that Provide Multiple Ecosystem Services?
We do too!
Strawberries native to the Pacific Northwest are fantastic groundcover selections. They spread quickly, look beautiful, and make a delicious summertime treat! We have three species of strawberry (Fragaria) native to our region. Depending on the light and moisture conditions of your planting site, there is a strawberry just right for you and your ecosystem.
Groundcovers Provide Abundant Ecosystem Services
What is a Groundcover?
Groundcovers are low-growing plants with dense, often spreading, foliage. They are a necessary part of healthy planting projects and provide many ecosystem services!
Groundcovers are excellent:
- Weed suppressors,
- Habitat for birds, insects, and small mammals,
- Control for erosion, and
- Moisture retainers for soils.
The Traditional Ornamental Selection: Cotoneaster
Cotoneasters are common landscaping plants in the Pacific Northwest. There are many species of cotoneaster that are invasive in our region and can damage ecosystems. All species of cotoneaster are introduced, many from China.
Cotoneaster are semi- or fully evergreen plants. Their orange berries persist into the autumn and winter months. From creeping mats to formidable shrubs, they can take on a wide variety of forms. They spread with both root suckers and seeds, rapidly able to outcompete native foliage.
What if your groundcover served your ecosystem instead of detracted from it?
For a Groundcover, Instead of Cotoneaster, Try Strawberries!
Strawberries (Fragaria spp.)
Strawberries send out runners and spread rapidly to cover bare ground or woody mulch. The quick cover reduces erosion and modulates soil moisture, supporting the entire planting project. Strawberries are hardy plants that can be occasionally tread upon and sometimes even deter deer.
There are three species of strawberries that are native to the Pacific Northwest: woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca), blueleaf strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), and coastal strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis). They each grow in unique environments, so no matter the conditions of your planting site, strawberries can help!
Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
Fragaria vesca has yellow-green leaves. This plant does great on the shady forest floor with moist soils. It is surprisingly adaptable to a variety of garden environments.
Blueleaf strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
Fragaria virginiana has distinct blue-green leaves. This plant loves life at elevation, it can be found in the dappled mountain light of woodlands or open meadows.
Coastal strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis)
Fragaria chiloensis is semi-evergreen, with dark, glossy leaves that persist throughout the winter. This plant grows hardy in sandy, nutrient-poor soil and direct sunlight.
Wherever the conditions of your planting project, there is likely a strawberry able to be your groundcover! Fragaria vesca is lush in the shade, Fragaria virginiana flourishes in the dappled sunbeams, and Fragaria chiloensis thrives in the full sun. Similarly on the soil moisture spectrum, Fragaria vesca prefers damp soils, Fragaria virginiana needs well draining soils, and Fragaria chiloensis can tolerate dry and exposed sites.
Groundcover
Strawberries have a shallow, yet expansive root system. They secure the top layers of soil and reduce wind and water erosion. Soil moisture is moderated by this plant as they spread so thickly. Oftentimes, leaves persist throughout the autumn and winter months, especially those of Fragaria chiloensis.
Snacks!
Wild strawberries are one of our favorite summertime snacks. Berries can be found in abundance beginning in May and last into the coming months. Besides being tasty for us, small mammals and birds enjoy the fruit. All strawberry flowers are important for pollinators, serving butterflies, bees, wasps, flies, and beetles. Fragaria chiloensis has the thickest leaves of the three species; they can be evergreen and deter deer.
From our Species Descriptions
Fragaria vesca, Woodland strawberry
Exposure: Full sun to shade
Soil moisture: Moist
Salinity tolerance: Unknown
Fire tolerance: Unknown
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Herbaceous perennial to 12 inches, spreads by runners
Bloom color: White
Woodland strawberry will accept a fairly wide range of soil and light conditions, from dry soil in shaded areas to moist soil in the open sun. It spreads very quickly, and if the soil is rich, it will grow lushly to provide good cover and weed competition. Fruit is eaten by birds and small mammals (and humans if they're quick enough). Click here for more photographs of this species on the University of Washington Herbarium website.
Fragaria virginiana, Blueleaf strawberry
No entry. Please refer to our friends at the Burke Herbarium.
Fragaria chiloensis, Coastal strawberry
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Moist to dry
Salinity tolerance: Low
Fire tolerance: High
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Leathery, somewhat evergreen perennial to 10 inches, spreads by runners
Bloom color: White
Very successful in coarse, poor soils characteristic of the early stages of restoration. It is competitive in disturbed, weedy sites and grows vigorously through the winter following fall planting in the Puget Sound area. It generally grows on sand dunes and sea bluffs, and it is well adapted to droughty, exposed conditions. We recommend it for erosion control projects because it spreads quickly and anchors the surface layer. Click here for more photographs of this species on the University of Washington Herbarium website.
For a breakdown of terms used in this plant description, visit our Terms Definition page, here.
Groundcovers might seem like a small component of your planting project, but they are of mighty importance. Plants that are installed as groundcovers typically spread rapidly, raising concern about ecosystem damage from invasive species. Instead of a traditional ornamental, like cotoneaster, consider a regenerative and delicious option: strawberries!
Sources
Groundcover
Sound Native Plants' Information Sheet archives
Cotoneaster
www.stewardshipcentrebc.ca/PDF_docs/GOERT/Publications/Invasives_PDF/InvFS_cotoneaster.pdf
www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/amp_nh_wirs_cotoneaster.pdf
Strawberries
Sound Native Plants' Information Sheet archives
www.soundnativeplants.com/nursery/species-descriptions/groundcovers-herbaceous/#Fragaria_vesca
www.soundnativeplants.com/nursery/species-descriptions/groundcovers-herbaceous/#Fragaria_chiloensis
www.burkeherbarium.org/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Fragaria%20vesca
www.burkeherbarium.org/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Fragaria%20virginiana
www.burkeherbarium.org/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Fragaria%20chiloensis
I love in the Vancouver WA area, where can I putchase ordamental strawberry plants?
Hi Margo, thanks for reaching out! I’d recommend both of our friends at Watershed Garden Works in Longview and Echo Valley Natives in Sandy. I’ve included their webpages for you below. Instead of an ornamental strawberry variety, consider one of our three native strawberries discussed in this article to support the surrounding ecosystem! Both of these plant retailers should carry our native strawbs, though I am unsure of their current inventory. Happy planting and snacking!
Watershed Garden Works: http://www.watershedgardenworks.com
Echo Valley Natives: http://www.echovalleynatives.com