Rose family
Rosaceae
Fra-gay'ri-a. Strawberry. About 12 species of stemless plants (except for the long runners) chiefly found in the north temperate zone.
Description
Leaves compound, the leaflets 3. Flowers generally white, rarely reddish, in few-flowered clusters atop a slender stalk. Calyx 5-toothed, the lobes spreading and forming the hull of the strawberry. Petals 5, mostly broad and rounded. Stamens many. The "fruit" is an enlarged, juicy, fleshy receptacle, upon which are embedded the true fruits, incorrectly called the "seeds."
How to Grow
Strawberries for ornament should be started early from seeds sown indoors in late winter; seeds are tiny and slow to germinate. Shift seedlings to progressively larger pots. Harden off and set out after danger of hard frost is past. These plants prefer cool weather.
Fragaria vesca
Alpine Strawberry
. 9-12 in. (22.5-30.0 cm) high. Leaves thin and light green. Flower cluster forking. Flowers in. (13 mm) wide, white, standing above the foliage. Fruit small, the hull widely spreading. Europe and possibly North America. Blooms in the spring. Grown as a border plant. Perennial treated as a hardy annual.
