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Wild strawberry

Fragaria vesca — Excellent edible.

Never eat a wild mushroom or plant identified only from a website, book or app. Several deadly species look almost identical to edible ones, and mistakes can be fatal. Learn from an experienced forager in person, be certain of every specimen, and when in doubt, throw it out.

What it is

Tiny, fragrant wild strawberries thread onto a grass stalk are one of the great treats of the northern summer, far more intense than any shop berry. They ripen along warm forest edges and old railway banks from midsummer.

Where and when to find it

Sunny banks, forest edges and clearings. In season roughly June to August.

Look-alikes and safety

The mock strawberry (Potentilla indica) looks similar but is bland and watery rather than harmful. True wild strawberries have a powerful aroma that the imitators lack.

Nutrition

Very low in energy, intensely flavoured, high in vitamin C. As with all wild food, the health value only matters once you are completely certain of a safe identification.

More wild foods

Source: Edibility and look-alike notes follow standard mycological and botanical references for the region. This page is a starting reference, not an identification authority. · checked 2026-09-04

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