Fragaria vesca

American Indian name

The Omaha and Ponca Indian name for this plant is "agthamu n gi n bashte", which means medicine fruit. The Pawnee name is "aparuhuradu"(berry, ground)the Dakota Sioux name is "wazhushteca" which means (pine mink) the Lakota siouxcalled the plant "wazi`skeca" (sweet berries).

Description This native plant has white flowers and it has compound leaves with three leaflets that have jagged edges. It is a perennial. The wild strawberry is a forb, , and it reproduces by seeds and runners. This plant fruits in late May and early June. The fruit is small red and fleshy.

Location and habitat The plant is usually found in open prairies, pastures, old fields, and it a common plant in North America found throughout the Midwest states. On the omaha indian reservation you can find  this plant  down at the Big Elk park.

 

The uses

Raw or cooked the plant is edible, sweet and succulent. Small but delicious. The dried leaves make a very pleasant tea substitute. It has been known to treat diarrhea, stomach and lung ailments.   

This Page was last update: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at 10:25:32 AM
This page was originally posted: 11/20/07; 11:13:22 AM.
Copyright 2008 Plants of the Omaha Indian Reservation

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