Fragaria vesca
a.k.a. Wild Strawberry, Woodland Strawberry
Nothing says summer like a ripening field of strawberries. The tingly scent of the freshly picked fruit can bring a smile to almost any child’s face. It makes the herbalist smile, too, as this delicate woodland plant offers a wealth of healing in one sweet, tasty package.
This second edition is expanded from our first, with more information and new images in each chapter. We’ve added a few new recipes to help you get started as well.
Here you’ll find all you need to add Strawberry to your herbal practice. Each chapter focuses on a specific aspect of getting to know and love Strawberry. Start with the perspective that most engages you, then add to your knowledge by exploring further.
Wild strawberry leaves are a storehouse of tannins – both condensed tannins and ellagitannins. These tannins have powerful astringent actions. They unclog pores and allow swollen tissue to breath. They also attack plaque on tooth enamel with astonishing vigor. Condensed tannins are compounds that collect catechins, which are heralded of late as antioxidants.
Ellagitannins are the tannin form of Ellagic acid, the compound that’s been connected to cancer treatment and prevention in recent research. Much of the research has been done on pomegranate rather than strawberry, but scientists working with strawberry have noted that Ellagitannins function much the same as Ellagic acid with regard to cancer treatment and prevention. The interesting part, as far as strawberry is concerned, is that Ellagitannins are found in only one family of plants, the Rosaceae family, of which strawberry is a member along with raspberry, rose, sea buckthorn, and hawthorn. Research suggests you’ll find between 25 and 50 mg of Ellagitannins in 100 g of fresh strawberries.
Just a taste of the strawberry’s fresh red fruit reveals its cooling and drying properties, partly thanks to all those tannins. A parched, swollen mouth feels instant refreshment after sampling a juicy strawberry. Wild strawberries are more condensed medicinally than the cultivated variety, but both get the job done.
Strawberry’s antimicrobial properties are fairly mild. In studies focused specifically on strawberry, researchers found strawberry is quite effective against the gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus including S. aureus and S. pneumoniae, which are linked to some forms of food poisoning as well as the condition commonly known as Staph infection. The same study found strawberry had a lesser impact on gram-negative bacteria including E. coli and K. pneumoniae. Scientists haven’t offered definitive reasons for why strawberry’s action is less effective against gram-negative bacteria than gram-positive bacteria. Most likely, it has to do with strawberry’s ability to break down the bacteria’s cellular structure. Although we might describe strawberry as relatively mild as compared to more powerful herbs, that doesn’t mean strawberry isn’t a powerful partner in preventing illness.
Strawberry has just the right balance for daily use in dental care. The microbial balance maintains a healthy level even with intensive care. The vast amounts of vitamin C in strawberry fruit are a good guard against gum infections and the astringency in both the fruit and the leaf make a natural tooth and gum cleanser. Solid dental care is the first line of defense against a host of potential chronic and short-term conditions affecting the digestive system and circulatory system; Strawberry offers as sweet and tasty way to keep that defense strong.
In Traditional Western Herbalism, Strawberry is considered a feminine plant and is governed by Venus. Strawberry’s element is water, to which it is quit strongly linked in Traditional Western Herbal tradition. Strawberry is considered a strong and supportive kidney medicine, particularly for draining excess fluids without causing excessive dryness as can some diuretics. Strawberry leaf, the preferred herbal medicine, carries a balancing compliment of minerals and mucilage that help the kidneys retain balance while strawberry’s astringent and diuretic properties help drain excess dampness. Modern Traditional Western Herbalist Matthew Wood links strawberry leaf to treatment for kidney stones and similarly gravely conditions. He suggests strawberry leaf is helpful for balancing alkaline conditions in the body, as well. Symptoms that may indicate strawberry leaf in this situation include excess plaque on the teeth and gravel or stones in the urinary system. Wood mentions an arthritic disposition as an indicator in the older texts, too.
Traditionally, strawberry leaf has been used for symptoms that indicate overheating and dehydration, such as redness and swelling around the eyes, dry eyes, scanty urine or dark urine, little saliva, low to no appetite, and dry throat and lungs. In this case, strawberry leaf’s cooling and sweetness help to gently lubricate the system and tissues so that they will once again begin to absorb and manage fluids appropriately.
In addition, Strawberry leaf can be useful in managing diabetic and pre-diabetic symptoms, including hyperacidity of the stomach and irritations of the small intestine. In this use, strawberry leaf provides support to liver function and thus helps the body balance the liver’s work, making insulin management easier and more balanced for the liver and associated organs. Strawberry’s ability to handle excess alkaline conditions, including those found when kidneys stones or gravel are present, offers added support to the digestive system in general.
Strawberry fruit and leaves are considered a cooling yin food in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Strawberry is used to clear wind and lubricate the lungs and Lung channel, to detoxify the Liver and Kidney channels, and to nourish and tonfiy the Spleen channel. In Chinese Medicine, strawberry tea may be used to help ease coughing and sore throat, especially in the case of a dry cough. It is also used to moisten the intestines, detoxify after alcohol consumption, and remove blemishes.
Strawberry’s connection with the Liver and Kidney channels gives us insight into how strawberry supports fertility. These channels are key to helping the body process and manage hormone levels, a balance that must be maintained for one to be vital and fertile. Additionally, strawberry’s affect on the Spleen channel helps to create an environment in which pregnancy is supported.
Overall, the Yin nature of Strawberry links it with the nurturing aspects of our health. Strawberry’s ability to cool and stabilize or tonify makes it a helpful addition to diet. Both strawberry leaf and fruit can be used to support general health and prevent illness.
Although Strawberry flower essence isn’t one of the most common or a part of the famous Bach Flower Essence reparatory, it’s one that’s both available and reasonably easy to make yourself should you so desire. Indicated for those who struggle with self-worth or excessive negative thinking and anxiety, Strawberry flower essence helps use move into ourselves in a positive and grounded way. Strawberry grows without shame or regret even in the woodlands amid trees who tower over them. This lesson of being able to hold one’s own even when it seems everyone around you is somehow bigger, better, or more deserving is one Strawberry knows well. Strawberry flower essence offers the cool, grounded, collected confidence needed to help one see one’s own worth and step into one’s own power.
Strawberry, like other astringents, is good for treating diarrhea. A cup of wild strawberry leaf tea has enough tannins to successfully treat diarrhea. Its mild taste makes it easy to give to even small children without rejection. A little sweetener may be needed for fussier patients.
Strawberry leaf is a good base for dental rinses and tooth polishes. It whitens the teeth and acts as an antimicrobial treatment for mild mouth infections. The antimicrobial properties of strawberry leaf are strong enough to take care of plaque buildup on the teeth but not strong enough to trigger yeast infections as do commercial antibiotics. Sage and Spearmint are excellent partners for staving off infections as well as handling more chronic gum inflammation. For particularly painful situations, added spilanthes flower or clove can help soothe while seeking professional dental care.
Red, inflamed gums and loose, stained teeth both respond to strawberry’s humble ministrations. Swollen gums or loose teeth can be soothed with a consistent rinse of strawberry leaf tincture, tea, or vinegar.
Wild Strawberries are day neutral plants. That means they’ll produce fruit through out the growing season but at a lesser rate than their June bearing and ever-bearing cousins. This is part of why we don’t see strawberries as a super popular herbal medicine handed down from family to family as we do with other fruits, like elderberry.
Farmers, however, have developed strawberry cultivars that make for a more abundant fruit harvest through selective breeding. They’ve given us the June bearing varieties, which produce many fruits early in the season, and the ever-bearing varieties, which produce fruits early in the season and again late in the season. You can find day neutral varieties in the nursery as well. Those are often bred to produce larger fruits in greater abundance, too.
Strawberries reproduce by runners that loop over the ground like loose stitches on a blanket hem. I settled four wild strawberry plants under the shade of my sycamore trees five years ago when I tore out my front lawn and now their cheerful little faces are stopped only by the sidewalk.
Strawberry’s shallow root system allows it a vast array of garden possibilities. Wild strawberry grows just as happily in the sandy soil at the coast as it does in the shaded, loamy dirt of the forest. Cultivated strawberry does best in well-drained soil that is heavily mulched. It can avoid its many predators by growing in raised beds where the fruit can overhang a ledge or flowerpot. Cultivated varieties can be relied upon to produce fruit for only three years before they need to be replaced, but attention to providing organic compost every fall can stretch their lifespans considerably.
Full sun is a strawberry’s best friend, that is you’re after loads of fruits. Wild and domestic strawberries alike will produce more fruits in full sun than in partial shade. Both, however, will grow fairly well in partial shade. In full shade, you’ll see fewer flowers and fruits despite potentially plenty of leaves and apparent health in your plants.
Strawberries prefer slightly acidic soil with a balanced compliment of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. If your plants are late to flower and fruit or aren’t producing as well as expected, consider offering them a nitrogen boost through natural compost or mulch or a similar side dressing or fertilizer. They are forgiving plants, but to really shine it helps to feed them a few times a season.
Pests and illnesses are not a huge problem with small-scale, home-style strawberry patches. If you’re growing with larger harvest in mind, you may want to read up on the specific diseases that strawberries can be prone to developing. The University of Minnesota Extension Service has an excellent article covering the various diseases in detail here. The advice in general for handling all potential illnesses or infections is:
Snails and slugs love the fruits. They’ll take a few bites out of each berry. Dressing your strawberry beds with deterrents, like diatomaceous earth or copper or even spiky plant material like sweet gum seed pods, can be an effective first line of defense. If you use diatomaceous earth, be sure to dust regularly to replace what’s been disturbed by water, rain, wind, or other forces. Hanging baskets of strawberries are a good option if you’re looking for a smaller harvest and don’t want to spend as much time fighting back the gastropods.
Birds can be fruit thieves, as well. Some folks use fruit nets purchased from nurseries to help prevent losing their crops to our feathered friends. You might also consider adding a whirligig or pinwheels to your strawberry patch to frighten the birds off. The motion can discourage birds, although that’s a bit of gamble, especially if you’ve got crows raiding your fruit.
Cultivated strawberries grow well in pots. Since they’re not super picky about the amount of sunshine they get, even apartments with just a fire escape or tiny balcony can provide an ideal space for these wee charmers. Hanging baskets are an ideal solution, especially if you want to avoid pests. Snails and Slugs are far less likely to climb for your berries when they’re suspended. Another terrific option is a strawberry pot. That’s one of those pots you’ll find at nurseries, often who also sell strawberry starts, with one central planting space surrounded by little side pockets. Strawberry pots allow you to grow more plants than a similarly sized standard pot would. If you so desire, you can plant just the central area and wait a season or two for your plants to develop runners, which you can train down into the side pockets. When the central plants have finished their lifespan, you can train the runners from the side pockets back into the central area to keep an ongoing strawberry field!
Strawberry likes sunny woodland margins and fields best. Shady woodlands, city parks, and all manner of gardens are also happy places for Strawberry. The key is moisture. Strawberry is happiest where it can get good drainage but doesn’t completely dry out.
Fruit is sweet with tangy, distinctive strawberry taste. Leaves are bland with an astringent flavor.
Botanical Name: Fragaria species
Plant Part: Leaf and Fruit
Natural Environment: Moist Woodlands
Identification: Basal rosette of finely toothed, three part palmately compound leaves with smooth texture. The stems are thin and the flowers are yellow to white depending on the variety. The berries are red with tiny seeds embedded on the outer flesh of the fruit. The roots are shallow and multiply by above-ground runners.
Constituents: Fruit contains cissotanic, sugar, and malic and citric acids. Leaves contain vitamin C, catechins, and leucoanthoyanin.
Actions: Astringent, anti-diarrheal, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and diuretic
Aromatherapy: Eases feelings of guilt and depression
Conditions: Oily skin, loose teeth, swollen gums, diarrhea, sunburn
Magical Properties: Fertility, love, detoxification, and preparation for fertility and love
Caution: An allergic reaction in the form of a rash to strawberry leaf contact is extremely rare but can occur. Strawberry fruit as an allergen is uncommon (affecting less than one percent of the population) but a serious one. Avoid eating the fruit if there is a known or suspected allergy to strawberries. People who are allergic to the leaves do not often report an allergy to the fruit and visa versa.
Strawberry leaf is usually dried to make tea or tooth powders. It only takes a few hours in a food dryer or overnight on a flat air-drying surface like a screen or newspaper to turn fresh leaf into teapot-ready product. Powdering the leaf is simple with the use of a blender or food processor. Do not overly dry strawberry leaf or it will loose its chlorophyll and flavor. If you can, powder it when you’re ready to use it rather than powdering a whole batch and storing it. Powdered dried herbs in general lose potency more quickly than do whole dried herbs.
Strawberry leaf is very susceptible to losing chlorophyll due to light exposure. Properly store this herb in an opaque, airtight container. The shelf life for dried strawberry leaf is no more than 2 years. It’s best to refresh your stock yearly.
Strawberry leaf is a good choice for vinegar. Add fresh strawberry leaf to apple cider vinegar (1 cup herb: 2 cups vinegar). It’s ready for use after one month of agitation.
Although it’s uncommon, wild strawberry can be made into tincture as well. This could be used to strengthen mouth rinses. The leaf may be processed with a 1:1 plant weight to solvent weight ratio. It’s processed with about 50 percent water to 50 percent pure alcohol. The range is flexible with this plant so feel free to play around with what best suits your needs. Whiskey is a perfect alcohol with which to process wild strawberry leaf since it’s generally around 100 proof so it needs no watering down.
Fresh Strawberries should be bright red and juicy. Size isn’t terribly important, although don’t let the smaller stature of wild strawberries fool you. They’re packed with as much as if not more nutritional and medicinal properties than their larger domestic neighbors.
Strawberries dry well. Slice them thinly and dry them in a dehydrator. I use the medium setting, around 130 degrees F (54 degrees C), and let them go for up to 24 hours, depending on environmental conditions and how thickly I sliced them. You can store dried strawberries in an air-tight container in the pantry or another cool, dark place. They’re terrific on later winter or very early spring salads, added to herbal teas through winter, and in yogurt or hot cereal for a taste of summer.
Vinegar of fresh strawberry is tasty. Steep fresh fruits in your favorite vinegar for up to a month, strain and bottle. My personal favorite is apple cider vinegar. The flavors of apple and strawberry pair nicely. Wine vinegars and rice vinegar blend well with strawberry as well. I aim for a 1:1 ratio, although if I plan to store the vinegar longer I’ll increase the vinegar to 2 parts to 1 part strawberry. The juices in strawberries will dilute the vinegar content a bit, making it potentially more susceptible to spoilage.
If you’re after the microbial compliment that comes with a fresh ferment, strawberry kombucha may well be just the ticket. Add fresh or thawed frozen strawberries, lightly mashed, to your kombucha when you add the tea leaves. Their flavor will permeate the kombucha, adding a breath of summer to your blend. If the sweetness is what you’re after, add the strawberries just a day or two before you bottle. Their sweetness will seep into the kombucha, but the microbes won’t have time to completely convert it. Be aware that if you choose this second option you’ll need to watch your bottles to be sure they don’t become over carbonated.
Strawberry mead is another delightful way to get a daily dose of strawberry’s nutritional goodness with the added bonus of some live cultures. When I’m aiming for the medicine of strawberry, I make a high-fruit methaglyn, which really means I use a pound or more of fruit per gallon of finished mead. That packs my finished product with loads of vitamins and minerals amid all that tasty strawberry flavor. I caution you, though, to let your strawberry mead stand in the cellar for at least two years to smooth enough to enjoy.
While you can tincture strawberry fruit, you won’t get as much of the nutrition from it as you might desire. You’ll get a lovely flavor, but most of the minerals won’t transfer into the alcohol well so you’ll lose much of the nutrition that’s strawberry’s main power. Cordials or brandies made with strawberry are delightful, though, so consider that as an alternative if what you’re after is a particularly tasty medicine. In days of old, herbalists often mixed less enjoyable herbs into cordials or sweetened wines and brandies to mask the flavor. It works especially well when you’re aiming to prevent illness or to treat a chronic condition…or when your patient has a particularly picky palate.
Strawberry flowers are edible. They make a sweet addition to spring salads or offer a little spark of happiness to summer drinks or teas. Little and demure as they are, we rarely think to pick them for our table. Instead, we usually let them be so they’ll bear fruit.
The nice thing about making a flower essence is that you don’t necessarily have to pick the flowers to do so. Strawberry flower essence is easy to make, if you’ve got access to a strong strawberry patch that’s in bloom. Flower Essences are made in two stages. First, you make the Mother Essence. Then, you make a dosage bottle as needed. Because you’re using a high percentage of alcohol in the Mother Essence, it will last up to several years, assuming you store it in a cool, dark place. If you see any mold growth on your Mother Essence, do not use it – that’s a sign it’s time to make a new one.
You’ll need:
Instructions:
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Wild strawberry is excellent food for animals both wild and domestic. We used the leftover fruits from batches of wild strawberry jam to feed my daughter’s bearded dragon much to his delight. We let the chickens pick through the ground cover to eat the fruit the sparrows left behind. Caged birds like parrots delight in a little fresh strawberry.
In the spring, these early bloomers also provide pollen for our native bees. In our neighborhood, wild birds and slugs and snails alike love the early strawberries. We often plant a variety of early, late, and repeat fruiting varieties of Strawberry to lighten the pressure; that’s how I’ve gotten over being angry at the wild birds and slugs and snails for harvesting my fruits before I got to them. If you’re so incline, you might consider adding dried or frozen strawberry fruits to the wild bird feeder through the darkest months of your year.
Cultivated strawberries provide essential supplies of vitamin C and A during the winter months for birds and lizards in the wild as well as year-round for our animal companions. These fruits can easily be dried or frozen for later use. While Strawberries, like all fruits containing vitamin C, will lose some of their nutritional content when dried, they retain much of their other valuable nutrition, like a lovely compliment of minerals, fiber, and vitamin Bs. That makes even dried strawberries a terrific treat for your animal friends.
Some animals are picky about their food temperature or food size. Chickens often need their dried fruit to be crushed into bite sized pieces for easier consumption. Bearded dragons, for instance, will eat frozen food but only after it’s been thawed. Strawberries lend themselves to easy warming, crushing, and chopping when they’ve been frozen. If your friend is having a hard time chewing due to dental issues or other problems, you might consider adding a handful of fresh or frozen strawberries to a simple smoothie blended and added to soft foods. If you’ve got dried strawberries, you can soak them in a hot water before adding them to your animal’s supper to soften them up. Pour the liquid from the soaking in, too.
Strawberry leaves are good to add to the bath water for treating a dog with oily, irritated or inflamed skin. Dogs don’t find the scent overpowering and strawberry leaf is an excellent astringent that doesn’t stain a bathtub. You can apply strawberry leaf infusion to irritated or broken skin to soothe as well as fight off potential bacterial infection. The same goes for treating a light rash, irritation, or inflammation in birds and reptiles, too. If your hen (chicken or duck) is recovering from over-mating or a bound egg, a strawberry leaf bath can help ease the pain and prevent infection.
Cats may be less thrilled with a strawberry leaf bath, but might allow a warm compress. Regardless of the type of animal you’re working with, take the time to explain what you’re doing and why to help your friend relax and give it a try. Strong strawberry leaf tea makes an excellent compress for animals with oozing hot spots or swollen paw pads. Consider pairing strawberry leaf with yarrow flower, especially if you suspect infection or particulates may have penetrated the skin. If the skin is rather tender and unlikely to be licked, consider adding spilanthes to help numb the pain. If licking is likely, consider clove instead, as clove is not as galactagogue as spilanthes and thus won’t cause excess salivation when licked.
Try adding cooled tea to a bowl next to an animal’s drinking water to help relieve his or her swollen gums and reduce the inflammation. If the animal doesn’t like the flavor of the tea, try diluting it more. Be careful, though. Don’t replace an animal’s drinking water with a liquid he or she might not like. The animal may simply chose not to drink at all. Dehydration is extremely dangerous, particularly for an animal who is already sick.
If drinking strawberry leaf tea isn’t on your animal friend’s list of okays, consider mixing a simple toothpowder using powdered strawberry leaf and baking soda for a daily brushing. Even a quick tooth brushing session two or three times a week can help stimulate circulation in the gums, and strawberry leaf will help create bacteria-unfriendly conditions in the mouth that can help reduce inflammation and plaque formation.
Wild strawberry leaf tea makes a wonderful substitution for fans of green tea when caffeine is a problem. The mild flavor is delightfully refreshing and can fool all but the fussiest green tea connoisseur. Blending teas with Strawberry leaf is easy. Strawberry leaf pairs quite nicely with mild, nutritive herbs like oats, red clover, and lemon verbena, or you can use it to reduce some of the intensity of your favorite green tea.
Strawberry fruit is a perfect base for jams, jellies, and chutneys. There aren’t many canning cookbooks that don’t have a few recipes for using strawberries. Wild strawberries are smaller and seedier than cultivated strawberries so some straining or extra cooking time to thin the seed content and sweeten the dish may be needed. The end result, though, is a hint of summer’s warmth and even a touch of innocence with each bite. We recommend using fresh strawberries for jams, jellies, and chutney’s when possible. You’ll capture the complexity more easily with fresh fruits than with frozen.
Frozen strawberries are excellent in smoothies and milkshakes. To freeze strawberries, rinse the fruit, then place a thin layer of berries on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. This prevents the berries from forming a solid mass when they come out of the freezer. Place the frozen strawberries in labeled and dated freezer bags or containers for up to one year. Berries are prone to freezer burn so watch the dates throughout the winter before using them. Vacuum-sealed strawberries generally outlast those stored in containers or packaging that allows them to be exposed to air, so vacuum-sealing may offer you a longer freezer storage life.
Dried strawberries can be used to sweeten teas or hot cereals. Throw dried berries into trail mix or granola for an extra kick of vitamin C, A, and Manganese. Try powdering dried strawberries to sprinkle on cakes or cookies for naturally sweet food coloring. They’re a lovely addition to tea blends, especially in early spring a month or two before the first harvests. Pair them with other fruits, like goji berries or orange slices, or with mild-flavored herbs like raspberry leaf, oat tops or straw, or damiana leaf.
While strawberry loves full-sun, it can get by pretty darn well in dappled shade to full shade, too. That makes strawberry a potentially wonderful little house plant. Strawberry carries with it a sweetness and gentle innocence that brightens any space. Although you may get few if any blooms or fruits from an indoor strawberry plant, the playful, hopeful nature of strawberry’s leaves and habit make it a unique partner for keeping your space feeling a little brighter, clearer, and more peaceful. The added bonus is that strawberry, like all plants, does a lovely job of cleaning the air. Research suggests that interior spaces with house plants in general improves air quality.
Strawberry in particular has been used in several studies and research projects to monitor air quality as well as help improve it. Strawberry leaves are particularly good at capturing a variety of problematic particulates. Scientists use strawberry plants as a reliable way to gauge air quality. In the studies where strawberry plants have been employed, researchers have harvested leaves at various points and analyzed them to determine how many particulates were present during the study period. What they’ve found is that strawberry plants are consistent in their ability to capture and hold particulates and that the plants don’t seem to be especially harmed by their work.
Indoor strawberry plants thrive under the same conditions as their outdoor cousins do. Give them the best lighting you can. Keep them watered and fertilized. If they bloom, and you hope to get some fruits, you’ll want to step in to help with pollination…unless you happen to be rooming with a swarm of bees. Strawberry plant rely on flying pollinators, most especially bees, to pollinate their flowers. You can use a toothpick to gently swab each flower one after another to spread a bit of their pollen around. With a little luck and care, you can grow your own luxurious little strawberry harvest inside with no threat of losing it to birds, gastropods, or other thieves.
Although strawberries have only relatively recently been cultivated in Europe and western cultures, beginning around 1300 C. E. in France, folk all around the world have used strawberries for a variety of purposes for centuries. In South America before the Europeans arrived, strawberries were traded. North-American First Nation tribes used strawberries as medicine, particularly as a women’s medicine used to clear toxins and support fertility and child-rearing.
In Asia, strawberry’s detoxifying properties were also recognized as many as 2600 years B. C. E., at which time the Yellow Emperor used the leaves of the strawberry plant in a weak tea to detoxify and reduce the effects of aging. The Romans used strawberries to lift the spirits and relieve bad breath as well as to treat a variety of digestive complaints.
Strawberry’s popular reputation, however, solidified around fertility early on, and there it has remained. Strawberry shows up in European mythos as a fertility-inducing and love-producing fruit beloved of goddesses such as Venus, Aphrodite, Freja, and the Virgin Mary. It was said the fruit of strawberry, when shared with another, would produce love.
In Bavarian folk tradition, strawberries have bee gathered and hung in baskets on the horns of cattle to pay the local nature spirits in trade for many healthy calves and cows who produce an abundance of milk. It was said that if a pregnant woman carried strawberry leaves in her pocket they would relieve the pains of pregnancy. From inducing love to producing offspring, strawberry has been recognized as a potent little herb.
It’s no wonder, too, strawberry has enjoyed a solid standing amongst the fertility herbs of folklore and mythos. Strawberry is a member of the Rosaceae family, also known as the Rose family, long valued for their love-inducing properties.
Strawberry magic is the magic of dedication to fertility. Reproducing primarily through runners, Strawberry gives of herself until the young plants are well established. She is capable of sustaining those young plants, too, should the ground be immediately unsuitable for growth. I’ve seen young Strawberry plants bear fruit while hanging from mother plants in baskets or stretching across pavement. Strawberry teaches us the lesson of dedication to that which we long to produce no matter whether the conditions appear to be right.
Through her seeds, Strawberry amplifies this message of dedication. Strawberry seeds grow on the outside of the fruit and can germinate even when soil isn’t present. Strawberry knows deep down no matter what the present conditions appear to be, she has the power to succeed. Strawberry magic is the magic of success through inner vision that sustains until the outer world is ready to receive.
Success, as Strawberry teaches us, requires proper preparation of one’s self. How could she sustain so many at once if she weren’t properly prepared? Her habit of emerging early in spring to blossom and fruit at the very beginning of the season speaks to her preparation, so quickly does she shuck off her winter’s sleep in exchange for early spring’s fertile rush. People through the ages have recognized Strawberry’s gentle detoxifying, antibacterial, and astringent properties; those same properties encourage us to gently prepare ourselves for the projects or fertile periods ahead. If Strawberry has come into your life, perhaps it’s time to clear away the husks of what came before to make room in your mind, body, and spirit for the new season dawning in your life.
Strawberry plants are perennials. Cultivated Strawberries live for around three to four years while wild Strawberries can live as long as ten years. If Strawberry has come to you around a specific project, you can expect it to be a project of neither particularly long nor short duration. Strawberry projects are often projects for a period of time or a stage of life. The nature of the Strawberry who has shown up in your life, cultivated or wild, particularly if it corresponds with the nature of your project, can give you some insight into both the intensity and duration of the work.
Wild Strawberries tend to concentrate their energy and healing properties more intensely and in smaller fruits than their cultivated cousins. Thus, if your project has grown up or come to you through a wild, uncontrolled, undirected manner or source, you may be able to expect a longer duration of more concentrated energy and small-sized but intense fruits. Conversely, if your project has been carefully cultivated, you may enjoy large, abundant fruits for a shorter period.
Love, fertility, and nurturing magics are Strawberry’s specialty. If you’re making a mojo bag or similar charm to support fertility, for instance, a dried strawberry would be a fine addition to your working. If you’re working is more about building a strong and loving relationship, a dried strawberry flower might hold more of the energy and intention you’re aiming for. Likewise, if you’d like to build a strong network of family and friends, consider incorporating strawberry root into your working. Or, consider growing strawberries either in your garden or in a pot indoors.
Strawberry can be used in a more symbolic fashion to draw the power of Aphrodite or Venus into your life. Add an image of Strawberry – the berries, flower, or whole plant – to your altar. Or, hang a print of Strawberry in your bedroom or place it on your hearth mantle. The idea is to call on the Goddess’s energy and power in the place closest to your heart. When you’re feeling most in need, take a moment to gaze at the image and open your heart to the power of the Goddess.
If you’d like to support a creative project, consider adding strawberry to your work in some fashion. For instance, make yourself a cup of strawberry leaf tea to sip while you work on the project. As the project progresses and you feel you’re getting closer to seeing the fruits of your work, add some dried strawberry to your daily tea. In this way, you’re essentially drawing on Strawberry’s fertility energy to support your work.
In love, strawberry can be a good working partner, too. Strawberry can help you (and your partner) get calmed and focused before or during intimate play. Chocolate-dipped strawberries, for example, can bring an element of sweetness and luxury to your love-making session. Strawberry cordial can help loosen inhibitions while promoting confidence and a loving attitude for couples who are new to one another or who want to rekindle or revitalize their relationship. Strawberry leaf pairs well with damiana and raspberry leaf as a nurturing and tasty after-drink or as a daily love potion.
Try these recipes to incorporate strawberry into your life, or search The Practical Herbalist for other great recipes.
I once had an abundance of strawberries. After we’d canned, frozen, dried, fermented, and eaten all we could, we still had a few pounds left. Inspiration struck as I read the herbal vinegars section of James Green’s The Herbal Medicine-maker’s Handbook. Strawberry-infused Cider Vinegar quickly became one of our favorite herbal vinegars, and with good reason. The flavor is absolutely delightful. The scent is delicious. And, it’s packed with nutrients.
For this recipe, I assume you’re familiar with The Practical Herbalist’s basic procedure for making an herbal vinegar. It’s really pretty much the same, except you’re substituting strawberries for the herb.
Sunburns always seem to take the victim by surprise. It just didn’t seem like it was either hot enough or you were outside long enough to get the sunburn. Fortunately, there’s a simple recipe with easy to grow garden flowers to ease the suffering. A thin coat of Aloe Vera gel can be used to help speed healing after Sunburn Soother has dried on the skin.
You can increase the healing nature of this mouthwash by consuming it. If you choose to do so,
To use Minty Strawberry Leaf Mouthwash as a breath freshener, spritz one or two sprays into your mouth as you would a store-bought breath freshener.
Strawberries don’t have loads of pectin naturally. If you want to avoid loads of sugar in your jams, you can do what our ancestors did…make jam without added pectin.
Shelley Young at The Chopping Block, offers a terrific no-pectin basic fruit jam recipe with an explanation for why it works.
Since Strawberries are already a bit tart, I like to use Haws for a natural pectin in my jams instead of the Citric Acid or Lemon Juice Young recommends.
Haws make this a two-part recipe. You can make the Haw decoction in advance. It can also be frozen as ice cubes to make it easy to add when you’re deep into Strawberry season and need a quick pectin boost for your jam-making jubilation.
Part 1: Haw Pectin Decoction
Part 2: Strawberry Jam
Part 1: Haw Pectin Decoction
Part 2: Strawberry Jam
Part 1: Haw Pectin Decoction
Part 2: Strawberry Jam
Haw Pectin Decoction will last in a sealed container in the refrigerator for a few days. It’ll keep longer if you freeze it. Ice cube trays are a good option. You can easily vary the quantity using ice cubes.
Strawberry Jam keeps for a few weeks in a sealed container in a cool, dark place like the refrigerator. More sugar will give you a longer shelf-life. Canned, it’ll last at least half a year to a year. I’ve kept some jams much longer, although it’s rare mainly because we eat them up too quickly to see how long they’ll last.
Haw Pectin Decoction can help you thicken most any jams, jellies, or syrups. It offers a heart-healthy bonus, too, as Haws are linked with improved circulation and helping reduce high blood pressure.
Strawberry Jam is tasty on toast, in yogurt, or in pretty much any way you’d normally eat a jam. With the added Haw Pectin Decoction, you have an easy excuse to dig in!
I have used this blend off and on since my son was quite young. Both he and I developed canker sores triggered by stress during his youth. It often hurts the first couple of times after a sore has developed, but I’ve noticed that passes rapidly and this blend has helped the pair of us recover more quickly than when we don’t use it.
I have alternated between using Sage and Oregano tinctures as my third part. Both seem equally effective, so I reach for the one that’s handy when I’m blending. Thyme may be a good choice, as well.
I keep Canker Sore Remedy in my herbal pantry so it’s easy to find and use. It will last a good, long while when stored in a cool, dark place away from sunlight.
Under most household conditions, Strawberry Melomel must takes about one to two weeks to ferment out. After the first week, you should carefully lift the fine mesh bag and the remains of the fruit out of the fermenter. Let it hang over the fermenter to drip out, but do not squeeze the contents of the bag into the fermenter.
After you notice all signs of fermentation have ceased. (The airlock no longer dances or bubbles. The scent of the yeast at work has subsided.) Take a reading with a hydrometer or give it a taste. If the P. A. reads under 4 percent or you taste little to no sweetness in the brew, you’re ready to rack.
Rack, or transfer using a sanitized racking tube or siphon hose, your Strawberry melomel into a sanitized gallon-sized glass jug. Be sure to fill the jug to nearly the top, leaving only an inch or two maximum of space between the cap and the top of the melomel. (Air contact at this point can cause the melomel to have off-flavors or, horrifingly, to vinegarize.)
Let it stand in a safe, dark place for at least six months or until it has cleared completely. You will want to rack it several times through this period to help it clear and to prevent off-flavors.
When your melomel is crystal clear, or you’ve had enough of waiting, rack it into clean, sanitized bottles. Cork and label each bottle, then set them aside to mellow for at least a year, preferably two.
I prefer my wines dry, and Strawberry melomel is no exception. If you like a bit of sweetness in your wine, you can add wine stabilizer (available through home brewing supply sources) following the manufacturer’s instructions and then add a bit of raw, unrefined sugar or honey to your melomel just before bottling. A little bit of sweetener here goes a long way, so be sure to add just a small amount of sweetener at a time, mix thoroughly, then taste to determine just how much you need to satisfy your palate. Also, do not add sugar or honey to your wine before bottling it if you have not added an appropriate amount of stabilizer to your brew. Without stabilizer, fermentation will begin anew, resulting in carbonated or gushing wine or, worse, exploding wine bottles.
One gallon of wine or mead will fill approximately 5 standard-sized (750 ml) wine bottles.
Strawberries, especially in early summer, really know how to dress up a fresh-greens salad. This recipe is one of my favorite ways to use Strawberry Cider Vinegar. If you’re out of that, you can substitute an equal portion of cider vinegar plus one or two large fresh strawberries. Be sure to crush the strawberries well so they distribute well through out the dressing and your salad.
This magical working is designed to help boost fertility. Fertility can be directed toward procreation or making babies, of course, but that’s just scratching the surface of Strawberry’s potential.
You might want to create a mojo bag to direct energy during the creation stage of a new project or while you’re preparing to begin a new project. It could be helpful if you’re seeking aa place to work on such a project or looking for funding or investors who believe in your vision. As a patron of the arts or similar works, Strawberry can help you find venues where others can connect with your beneficiaries.
Fertility energy in this working is about making the right connections and nurturing the project until it takes root.
Once you’ve assembled your mojo bag, you can decide how to use it. The route you take depends largely on what works best for you and your situation.
You can carry it with you daily or only when you’re actively working on your project.
You can place it on an altar, either your own private altar or on the altar at your temple so long as that is acceptable.
You can place it in the areas where you do the most work on your project, or you might want to place it near your bedside or under your pillow to help you dream of the best path to take toward your desired outcome.
However you use it, keep it generally dry and protected until your project is established enough to no longer need the added support.
When your project is well-established, it’s time to release the mojo.
A few years back, I made several gallons of Strawberry-infused Cider Vinegar. It was absolutely delicious in salad dressings and drizzled over sweet breads. One day, my son wanted to try something new to drink, something sweet but not as sweet as soda or juice, bubbly, cool, interesting. Thus was born the Strawberry Shrub. For my son, I added a scant teaspoon of honey, but for myself I generally omit the sweetener altogether. Strawberry-infused Cider Vinegar is fairly sweet, to my taste.
This recipe is non-alcoholic, but if you’d like to give your spritzers a little kick, try making them with a shot or two of whiskey or scotch or substitute a dry bubbly for the spritzer water.
Who doesn’t love the decadence of a well-dipped chocolate strawberry?
As you’re blending your chocolate, you can adjust the sweetness level by adjusting the amount of sugar you use.
If you’re a fan of super dark chocolate, you can use very little or even no sugar. In that case, you may want to increase your chocolate by an ounce or two to cover more strawberries.
If Milk Chocolate is more your style, you can bump up the sugar to twice what we’ve suggested here and maybe even consider adding a touch of cream to create more a milk-chocolate flavor.
Choose the ripest strawberries by giving them a good smell before you buy – Strawberries should be fully red and strongly scented when they’re fully ripe. To stand up to the chocolate, you’ll want the ripest you can get your hands upon.
Chocolate-dipped Strawberries are best consumed within a week or less. Store them in an air-tight container in a cool, dark place. The refrigerator is a good choice.
Serve Chocolate-dipped Strawberries as a summer treat with tea or as a decadent dessert. They make a wonderful, sensual treat paired with a cup of damiana-mint tea if romance is on your mind.
In mixed company, pair Chocolate-dipped Strawberries with a light red wine or tonic water. Or, enjoy them with a cup of espresso or coffee. When made with particularly dark chocolate, they stand up well to a slightly sweet latte or breve, the creamier the better.
I love to drink this tea iced in the summer with a sprig of fresh lemon balm. Served hot in late winter, it’s a wonderful, wake up call reminding me June’s strawberries are right around the corner.
If you don’t have dried strawberries, omit them from the dried recipe and add one or two fresh strawberries per cup of water to your tea pot just before you add the water.
The key to a really good whipped cream is the cream, of course. The higher the fat content, the easier it’ll be to whip up to decadent heights.
Here, we’re flavoring the cream before whipping. It pays to start with the heaviest cream you can get your hands on. I’ve liked the grass-fed organic creams I’ve found locally best…but the heavy cream from my usual grocery shop has done me just fine, too.
I usually save the strawberries for use in another dish. They are mighty tasty added to a simple muffin batter and baked for the next morning’s breakfast. They’re also lovely added to hot cereal, like oats.
Strawberry Whipped Cream should be used quickly. Store it in a cool, dark place, such as the refrigerator. for up to two days. Best, use it straight away.
Use Strawberry Whipped Cream as you would regular whipped cream – atop any delightful dessert or drink or whatever else catches your fancy.
Strawberry syrup is an absolute treat on pancakes or waffles. That might be rather obvious, but what about as an ice cream topper? Or whipped into yogurt? Or drizzled over parfait? Yep, Strawberry syrup is far more versatile than it would seem at first glance.
I like using fresh strawberries best, but dried will do nicely in a pinch. I have often substituted brown sugar for the standard cane sugar to add more depth to the blend. You can get a similar affect by adding a drizzle of molasses to the blend as well. Just be careful; molasses can overwhelm the flavor quite easily.
Allen, Zel and Rueben Allen. Vegetarians in Paradise. “Taming the Wild Strawberry.” October 20, 2013. http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch45.html.
Alexander, Courtney. “Berries as Symbols and in Folklore.” Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Ithaca, New York. October 20, 2013. http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/berry/production/pdfs/berryfolklore.pdf.
Buřičová L., Andjelkovic M., Čermáková A., Réblová Z., Jurček O., Kolehmainen E., Verhé R., Kvasnička F. (2011). “Antioxidant capacity and antioxidants of strawberry, blackberry, and raspberry leaves.” Czech J. Food Sci., 29: 181–189.
http://www.agriculturejournals.cz/publicFiles/37219.pdf.
Grieve, Maude. A Modern Herbal, electronic version by Botanical.com. October 20, 2013. http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/strawb95.html.
NutritionData.com, Condé Nast Publications. “Strawberry, Raw.” April 4, 2014.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2064/2.
United States Department of Agriculture. “Fragaria vesca L. woodland strawberry.” October 20, 2013, http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=FRVE.
Wolford, Ron and Drusilla Banks, University of Illinois Extension Service Website. “Strawberry History and Lore.” October 20, 2013. http://urbanext.illinois.edu/strawberries/history.cfm.
Sue Sierralupe is a Certified Master Herbalist, Master Gardener, professional writer and Sustainable Landscape Specialist. Sue also volunteers as the clinic manager and herb team leader at Occupy Medical clinic.
She is author of The Pocket Herbal: Medicinal Plants that Changed the World and co-author of The Practical Herbalist’s Herbal Folio series. Follow her blog at HerbalistManifesto.com for commentary on herbs, parenting, nutrition, and a whole lot more.
Candace Hunter has more than 10 years of experience in herbalism, homesteading, shamanism, magic, and energetic work and more than 20 in writing, editing, and publishing. She is co-author of The Practical Herbalist’s Herbal Folio series.
She likes to spend her time writing, creating fiber arts, selling herbal products, practicing
taekwondo, teaching, and playing. Most especially playing. You can find her work at ThePracticalHerbalist.com and CandaceHunter.com.
The Practical Herbalist’s Herbal Folios
Strawberry: A Wealth of Healing in One Sweet Tasty Package
First Edition
By Candace Hunter and Sue Sierralupé
Practical Herbalist Press
Springfield, Oregon
Copyright 2023 © by The Practical Herbalist
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Original Copyright: 2013 © by Candace Hunter and Sue Sierralupé.
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