Barren strawberry is a perennial in the Rosaceae (rose) family from Europe and Asia that is primarily used as a ground cover. The leaves and flowers are strawberry-like but the fruit is inedible. It spreads by stolons and runners but spreads relatively slowly and is not considered aggressive. The yellow flowers appear in late spring to early summer. The foliage is evergreen in mild winter areas and forms a dense mat of glossy leaves. It can be divided in spring or early fall. This plant grows easily in a wide variety of soils in sun to dappled shade. In the south, it does better with some afternoon shade. Combines well with spring-blooming bulbs and is drought tolerant once established. Use as a groundcover or in the front of the border. Mass plant it along a rock wall, or use it along a pathway in an English or shade garden.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Spreading
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Obovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf value
Long-lasting; Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Three-parted, glossy green leaves composed of wedge-shaped, 1 to 2-inch leaflets with toothed margins.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Saucer
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
1/2 inch yellow five-petaled flowers on 8 in. stems in clusters of 3 to 8. Blooms late spring to early summer
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit detail
Small reddish inedible berry
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
This plant has 8-inch stems.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe, Asia
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Berry
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Coastal; Rock Wall; Walkways; Woodland
Landscape theme
Drought Tolerant Garden; English Garden; Fairy Garden; Rock Garden; Shade Garden