ABOUT WILD STRAWBERRIES: There are few varieties of wild strawberries in the world, from which the most common ones are Fragaria vesca, a European variety and Fragaria virginiana, a North American variety. It is very similar to garden strawberry which derives from a few varieties of wild strawberries. The plant typically consists of several trifoliate leaves at the tips of long hairy petioles. It has small white flowers from which small, frequent fruits grow with tiny seeds on the outside membrane of each berry. While they are nearly half the size of cultivated strawberries they offer more concentrated sugar levels and complex floral notes of rose and violet. Typical habitat of wild strawberries is along trails and roadsides, hillsides and stone- and gravel-laid paths or roads. They can even be found where they do not get sufficient light to form fruit. It can even survive mild fires or establish itself after fires.
Although F.Vesca primarily propagates via runners, that is new plants spreading from the mother plant, viable seeds are also found in soil seed banks and seem to germinate when the soil is disturbed away from their existing population. Both wild strawberries leaves and fruit are food for a large number of forest animals that also help to distribute the seeds in their droppings.
HISTORY: The wild strawberry has been eaten from the dawn of humankind. One of the earliest mentions of the strawberry fruit was in ancient Roman literature in reference to its medicinal use. The French began cultivating wild strawberries in the 14th century. The strawberry is also found in Italian, Flemish, and German art as well as in English miniatures.
By the 16th century, references of cultivation of the strawberry became more common. People began using it for its supposed medicinal properties so naturally, botanists began naming the different species. In England, the demand for regular strawberry farming had increased by the mid-16th century and soon after a new, better hybrid was created: The garden Strawberry.Wild strawberries were also an important source of food for the early indigenous people of North America. The Blackfoot, Cherokee, Ojibwa and Iroquois Tribes also used the leaves of Wild strawberry plants as a disinfectant and a treatment for a variety of health problems.
USE: As it is the case with domesticated strawberries wild ones also have a wide range of use. The entire wild strawberry plant was used to treat depressive illnesses, which is a practice that started way back in ancient Rome. Wild strawberries are a great source of vitamins A, C, E and the B-complex group as well as a variety of minerals such as potassium, manganese, fluorine, copper, iron and iodine. Wild strawberries are also a culinary delicacy: They are as versatile in savoury recipes as well as the sweet ones. Whether salads, salsas, ice cream, cocktails, jams, tarts or vinaigrettes, it's your choice. Or you can play it simple and compliment them with cream, vanilla, coconut, caramel, buttermilk, aged cheeses, blue cheese or even herbs such as basil, mint or arugula.
FUN FACTS: Charles V of France, who ruled from 1364. to 1380., had over 1,200 strawberry plants in his royal garden.
Do you like Strawberry or are you one of those, in my free estimation two people in the world, who don't like them? What memories do you have that are tied to strawberries? I'd love to hear from you!
Stay tuned for all things Strawberry, you might be surprised what comes out of it. If you have anything Strawberry I missed out on, link it or if you plan on doing anything use a #strawberryweek hashtag so I can find you. Buckle up...here we go!
