Indian strawberry, or mock strawberry, is a weedy plant that looks a lot like strawberry, except its petals are yellow, and its small, strawberry-like fruits lack juiciness and flavor.
Indian strawberry is a ground-hugging plant that spreads via runners, just like garden strawberries.
The flowers are solitary, arising from leafy joints along the stems, with 5 leafy bracts at the base of the flower that are toothed and larger than the sepals. The 5 petals are yellow.
Blooms April–June.
The leaves are compound with 3 parts; the leaflets are coarsely toothed, each with its own small stalk; the leaves and stems are sparsely hairy.
The fruits resemble miniature strawberries, but they are not juicy and lack flavor. The fruits are produced April–June, and sporadically through September.
Similar species: Wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) is similar but has white petals and fruit that is delicious.
Flowering height: to about 2½ inches; stem length: to more than 1 foot.
Statewide.
Habitat and Conservation
Open areas in woods, prairies, and fields. Commonly found in urban, suburban, and disturbed areas. It might be growing in your yard.
This plant is native to eastern and southern Asia, which is reflected in its species name indica (“from India”). It was introduced to the United States as an ornamental and now has become a weed. Some states consider it invasive.
Status
Nonnative. Often considered a weed; invasive in some regions.
Human Connections
Weeds that grow in lawns can be annoying, and they support an entire industry of chemical lawn-treatment specialists. However, lawn weeds can also be appreciated for the color and variety they provide. This plant was originally introduced as an ornamental.
Historically, common names of plants often used the word “Indian” to mean “false” or “mock,” and although that usage is biased, the basic meaning could fit in this case, since this is not a true strawberry (in the genus Fragaria). However, the species name indica means “of India,” and that fits, too, since this plant was first known from the Indian subcontinent.
Ecosystem Connections
A line is crossed when introduced plants move into wild areas and threaten to outcompete native plants, which are the rightful heirs of the territory they grow upon. This plant is invasive in many locations across America.
