Mock Strawberry
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| Potentilla indica (Andr.) Th.Wolf |
The Mock Strawberry, Potentilla indica (formerly Duchesnea indica), is also known as the Indian Strawberry. Although the foliage and fruit are quite similar, is not a true strawberry and can readily be distinguished by its yellow flowers, as opposed to the flowers of true strawberries which are white or slightly pink. It is native to eastern and southern Asia, but has been introduced to many other areas as an ornamental plant, though it is considered a noxious weed in some regions.
The leaves are trifoliate, roughly veined beneath, dark green, and often persisting through the winter, arising from short crowns. The plant spreads along creeping stolons, rooting and producing crowns at each node. The yellow flowers are produced in mid spring, then sporadically throughout the growing season. The fruits are red, with red seeds, and while juicy and edible are not sweet like the true strawberries.
Recent genetic evidence has shown that this genus is better included within Potentilla, but currently most sources still list it in the now-defunct genus Duchesnea.
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