Home > Landscaping > Native Plants for Western Washington Gardens and Restoration Projects
Fragaria chiloensisCoastal Strawberry
At a Glance: Spreads low across ground with runners. White flowers and small red strawberries. |
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| Sun/Shade Tolerance | Hydrology | Elevation Range |
 full sun > 80% mostly sunny 60%-80% partial sun and shade 40%- 60% mostly shady 60%-80% full shade > 80% |
Never found far from the sea. wet moist dry |
low elevation mid elevation sub-alpine high elevation |
| Soil Preferences | ||
| Commonly found on dunes and sea bluffs. | ||
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sandy soils gravelly soils clay soils muddy soils peaty soils |
well drained soils shallow soils deep soils acidic soils basic soils |
humic soils nutrient rich soils nutrient poor soils mineral soils organic soils |
| Habitat Preferences | ||
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Aquatic and Wetland: Ponds or lakes Shallow pools Sloughs Swales or wet ditches Seasonally inundated areas Marshes or swamps Aquatic bed wetlands Emergent wetlands Scrub-shrub wetlands Forested wetlands Bogs, fens Seeps, springs Lake shores Bog margins Streams or rivers Stream or river banks Riparian corridors River bars Floodplains Bottomlands Alluvial areas |
Saltwater Areas: In or near saltwater Mud flats Tidal areas Estuaries Saltmarshes Brackish water Seashores Coastal dunes or beaches Coastal bluffs Cliffs Rocky slopes Outcrops Crevices Glacial outwash Gullies Slide areas Heaths Snow beds Tundra Avalanche tracks |
Forests and Thickets: Forests and woods Open forests Coniferous forests Old growth forests Deciduous forests Mixed forests Nurse logs Forest edges, openings, or clearings Thickets Pastures or fields Meadows or grassy areas Mossy areas Roadsides Trailsides Logged sites Burned areas Disturbed sites |
| Wildlife Value | |
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Berries Seeds Nectar for hummingbirds Nectar for butterflies Host for insect larvae Thickets and shelter Thorny or protective cover |
Birds: Robins, towhees, pine grosbeaks, waxwings, and grouse eat the fruit. Insects: Sara orangetip butterflies are attracted by the flowers. Mammals: Deer feed on the berries. Fruit eaten by mice and other small mammals. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses and Other Facts |
Material Uses: Stlatlimx girls made headbands and belts out of braided runners. Medicinal Uses: The Quileute chewed the leaves and applied them as a poultice on burns; the Skokomish made tea from the entire plant for diarrhea; the Haida used the leaves as an ingredient in a female tonic; Food Uses: Strawberries eaten fresh, not dried because they are too juicy; the Saanich and Mainland Comox steeped the leaves to make a sweet, clear tea. Landscape Uses: Nice, low-growing ground cover. Can be mown and walked on. Name Info: Common name is accurate, it usually only grows in coastal areas. |
Suggested References
- Gunther, E. 1973. 2nd ed. Ethnobotany of Western Washington. University of Washington Press. Page 36.
- Hickman, J.C., ed. 1993. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California. University of California Press. Page 952.
- Hitchcock, C.L., A. Cronquist. 1973. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 211.
- Link, R. 1999. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 272.
- Lyons, C., W. Merilees. Trees and Shrubs to Know in Washington and British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 172.
- Pojar, J., A. Mackinnon. 1994. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 183.
- Turner, N.AJ. 1975. Food Plants of British Columbia Indians: part 1, Coastal Peoples. British Columbia Provincial Museum. Page 218.
The landscaping and restoration information provided on this page is taken from the Starflower Foundation Image Herbarium. All photographs © Starflower Foundation unless otherwise noted.