Barren Strawberry (Waldsteinia fragarioides) or (Geum fragarioides)
Barren strawberry is a little-known, attractive native groundcover. Very little seems to be known about floral-faunal relationships for this wildflower. It seems to be the host to the specialist bee Andrenid ziziaeformis (Johnson and Colla, 2023). Andrenid bees have been observed visiting the flowers, thus, it is likely that other small bees visit the flowers as well (illinoiswildflowers.info). While it does not bear edible fruit, its bright yellow flowers are a treat in mid-spring. It can grow relatively fast in the right conditions and form a dense mat by rhizomes just under the soil surface.
Photo credit: Joshua Mayer
Barren strawberry is a little-known, attractive native groundcover. Very little seems to be known about floral-faunal relationships for this wildflower. It seems to be the host to the specialist bee Andrenid ziziaeformis (Johnson and Colla, 2023). Andrenid bees have been observed visiting the flowers, thus, it is likely that other small bees visit the flowers as well (illinoiswildflowers.info). While it does not bear edible fruit, its bright yellow flowers are a treat in mid-spring. It can grow relatively fast in the right conditions and form a dense mat by rhizomes just under the soil surface.
Photo credit: Joshua Mayer
Barren strawberry is a little-known, attractive native groundcover. Very little seems to be known about floral-faunal relationships for this wildflower. It seems to be the host to the specialist bee Andrenid ziziaeformis (Johnson and Colla, 2023). Andrenid bees have been observed visiting the flowers, thus, it is likely that other small bees visit the flowers as well (illinoiswildflowers.info). While it does not bear edible fruit, its bright yellow flowers are a treat in mid-spring. It can grow relatively fast in the right conditions and form a dense mat by rhizomes just under the soil surface.
Photo credit: Joshua Mayer
Life Cycle: Perennial
Sun Exposure: Partial shade-Light shade
Soil Moisture: Medium
Height: 3-6 inches
Plant Spacing: Ground cover
Bloom Time: May-June
Bloom Color: Yellow
Advantages: Deer Resistant
Specialist Bee: Andrena ziziaeformis (Johnson and Colla, 2023)
Resource: Johnson, Lorraine, and Sheila Colla. A Northern Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants and Pollinators: Creating Habitat in the Northeast, Great Lakes, and Upper Midwest. Island Press, 2023
