Waldsteinia ternata
Siberian barren strawberry
Common names: Waldsteinia
At a glance
- Light
- Partial shade
- Pot size
- from 2 l
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Flowering
- Apr–May
- Hardiness
- Hardy
Photo: Agnieszka Kwiecień (Nova) · CC BY 2.5 · Source
Description
The Siberian barren strawberry, botanically Waldsteinia ternata, is an evergreen groundcover in the rose family. From April to May it displays numerous small, gold‑yellow flowers on glossy, three‑leafed foliage. Native to open woods, it thrives in dry shade under trees and shrubs as well as in semi‑shade along woodland edges. Despite its name, it does not produce edible fruit like the wild strawberry; it is used solely as a hardy ornamental groundcover.
Care instructions
Plant in spring or autumn with a spacing of 25 to 30 cm; the area will close within about two years. It tolerates dry, shaded soil and requires only supplemental watering during extended dry periods. Pruning is usually unnecessary; cut back faded shoots in spring with a grass shears to encourage new growth. Because it spreads by runners, divide larger clumps every few years and use the offsets for new plantings. Winter protection is not needed in the DACH region; the foliage remains green throughout winter.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
FloweringApr–May
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
humus-rich, well-drained, moist, lime-avoiding
Siberian barren strawberry loves loose, humus-rich soil with even moisture, without waterlogging. As a woodland-floor plant it prefers slightly acidic to neutral conditions and tolerates very lime-rich soils poorly. With some leaf mould worked in, it feels especially at home under trees and shrubs and at the edges of woodland planting.
Feeding
Light feeder
As a frugal wild perennial, Siberian barren strawberry needs practically no feeding. A thin mulch layer of leaf mould in spring is entirely enough to supply it with nutrients. Soil that is too rich makes it run to foliage rather than flower lavishly.
Overwintering
Siberian barren strawberry is hardy in Central Europe and needs no special protection. Its evergreen to semi-evergreen leaves usually stay lying on the ground even in frost and protect the plant themselves. In very cold winters with little snow, it appreciates a loose layer of leaves as an additional cover.
Propagation
Methods
- Division
- Runners
The easiest way to propagate Siberian barren strawberry is by its runners, which form new little plants of their own over the course of the season. Once these have put down roots of their own, you can separate them from the mother plant in spring or autumn and move them. Alternatively, simply divide established clumps with a spade. This way Siberian barren strawberry quickly turns into a dense, freely flowering ground cover.
Companion planting
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
For your garden
Grow Siberian barren strawberry yourself
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