Beach strawberry
Fragaria chiloensis
The seaside parent of every garden strawberry; a tough, glossy groundcover.
Hardiness: zones 5 to 10
Light: full sun
Size: about 0.5 ft tall, 2 ft wide
Harvest: May to July
From: Pacific coast of the Americas
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food, pollinators.
Native to: California, Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Andean highlands, Southern Cone & Patagonia. Hardy in zones 5 to 10.
The story
The beach strawberry grows on dunes from Alaska to Chile and was eaten by Coast Salish, Ohlone and Mapuche people; Spanish ships carried Chilean plants to France in 1714, where they crossed with the Virginia strawberry to make the garden strawberry of the world.
Planting
Full sun, sandy drained soil, salt and wind; a tough evergreen groundcover. Plant in spring, 12 inches apart.
Growing
Water in dry spells; it runs and fills in. Trim runners from paths. No feeding.
Harvest and use
Small, fragrant berries in early summer; pick daily and eat at once. Fruit is sparse on wild forms.
What to watch for
Birds and slugs; otherwise none.
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home