Wild Strawberry

Fragaria chiloensis (Rose Family) The coast strawberry is found from Alaska to California and also grows along the coasts of South America and Hawaii. It has large five-petaled flowers that are nearly an inch across and glossy-green, three-parted leaves. It spreads readily by stolens -- horizontal stems that grow over the surface of the ground and root to start a new plant. The strawberries that appear later in the summer are much smaller than the flowers. They are tasty, if gritty morsels. You have to beat the chipmunks and many species of birds that relish these fruits. They grow wild all throughout our pastures and our big circle.

The Rose family contains some of our most valuable economic plants, largely because of their fruits. Cherries, pears, apples, peaches, plums, and blackberries are only a few examples.