Wild strawberry Alexandria - Fragaria vesca

Fragaria vesca 'Alexandria' is a beautiful, vigorous, and highly productive wild strawberry. In spring and early summer, it produces small white flowers that will later develop into intensely flavoured wild strawberries. It prefers humus-rich soil, in partial shade or dappled sunlight. It will form small clumps that are more restrained than its wild parent, and will provide a wonderful harvest.

Fragaria vesca belongs to the Rosaceae family, just like many fruit trees (apple, pear, plum, medlar), as well as many ornamental plants, such as roses, avens, and physocarpus. The wild strawberry is found at the edge of many undergrowth areas, where the leaf litter provides a suitable carpet for its establishment. The characteristic leaves are composed of three dark green, toothed leaflets. They are semi-evergreen if the climate is not too cold. Between April and June, and sometimes sporadically until September or October, the plants produce a profusion of delicate white flowers with 5 petals and a yellow central cone. Under good conditions, these flowers produce wild strawberries a few weeks later. They are small red fruits with an unmistakably intense and fragrant flavour. From a botanical point of view, strawberries are pseudocarps. The seeds on the strawberry (achenes) are the true fruits, while the red fleshy envelope is just a means for the plant to facilitate their dispersal by animals. 

The 'Alexandria' variety is distinguished from the wild type by its absence of stolons. It forms a compact clump, about 30cm (12in) in diameter. However, it is very productive and will delight you with an abundance of tasty fruits.

Fragaria vesca is a particularly robust plant. It is very hardy (down to -25°C (-13°F)), and can thrive under bushes and trees. It will produce a higher yield in humus-rich, fertile soil that is not too dry. Plant it in light shade or non-burning sunlight. It spreads by spontaneous sowing and makes an excellent ground cover for slightly neglected areas on the edge of undergrowth. The 'Alexandria' variety is even easier to control than the wild strawberry.

It is an ideal plant for slightly wild flower beds, where it will enhance taller plants such as Astrantia 'Florence', bleeding heart 'Valentine', large ferns like Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina), or the grass Deschampsia caespitosa, which tolerate shade well. Of course, you can also use it in the vegetable garden or in containers for a harvest on patios and balconies. If grown in pots, use a sufficiently nutritious substrate, enriched with compost every year.