Can you eat wild strawberries?

Most varieties of wild strawberries are edible, though some are not palatable. For instance, the Virginia wild strawberry, Fragaria virginiana, is an edible variety with good flavor, while the beach or coast variety of strawberry, Fragaria chiloensis, is not as tasty, though still edible.

Another variety, Duchesnea indica, is also known as the mock strawberry or Indian strawberry. While the berries are not poisonous, they have very little flavor. Parts of the mock strawberry plant are sometimes used medicinally, such as in poultices for treating eczema. Mock strawberries have yellow flowers, while wild strawberries with edible berries have white flowers.