Coastal Strawberry
Latin name: Fragaria chiloensis
SENĆOŦEN name: DIL¸EḰ
Diitiidʔaaʔtx̣ name: tuʔulq
Photo credits: Teresa R Spade
Description: This perennial plant features short, trailing stems and thick, leathery leaves divided into three bluntly toothed leaflets. The undersides of the leaflets are densely covered in fine hairs. Its delicate white, five-petaled flowers bloom on slender, leafless stalks that rise above the foliage.
Photo credits: Little Prince Plants
Harvest and Sustainability: Wild strawberries are commonly found along forest edges and in sunny clearings, where they thrive with ample light exposure. They are easy to propagate through their rhizomes, allowing them to spread naturally and form low-growing mats across the forest floor.
Photo credits: The Edible Forest
Uses: The fruit is the true prize of the wild strawberry plant. Smaller, softer, and often sweeter than commercial varieties, these berries are best enjoyed fresh but can also be dried or incorporated into baked goods.
In addition to the fruit, the newly sprouted leaves are edible and commonly used in herbal teas or to help sweeten bitter medicines.
