Plant Details

Duchesnea indica

Mock Strawberry

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Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Duchesnea indica.

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Common names

4 names · 3 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Mock Strawberry
Other languages (2)
Dutch
  • Indische aardbei
  • Schijnaardbei
French
  • Fraisier des Indes
Sources & name notes

Names recorded in our plant catalogue, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

General information

Scientific name: Duchesnea indica
Accepted name (Kew): Potentilla indica View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited taxonomic treatment. Botanical references may use alternative names.

Sources [1]
Botanical family: Rosaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Duchesnea (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Mock Strawberry

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous, Ground cover
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.08–0.2 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [2]
Spread: 0.3–0.61 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [2]
Growth rate: Moderate
Sources [2]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [2]
Growth habit: Spreading

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [2]
Life cycle: Perennial
Sources [2]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [2]
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [2]

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit, Leaves
Edibility rating:
(2)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Ground cover

Description

Fruit - raw. The fruit is dry and tasteless. Some describe the taste as somewhat similar to a watermelon, although this may be more imagination than reality. The fruit contains about 3.4% sugar, 1.5% protein, and 1.6% ash. The vitamin C content is 6.3 mg per 100 ml of juice. The fruit has a diameter of about 10 mm, resembles a strawberry in appearance and texture, but has very little taste. A plant of 2.5 m² produces about 150 g of fruit per year. The leaves can be cooked and eaten.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/06
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: WCVP version 16, wcvp_names.csv: Duchesnea indica (Andrews) Teschem., name ID 2948241, row 1439363; Potentilla indica (Andrews) Th.Wolf, name ID 2955403, row 1439356
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1438673; name ID 2948231; Duchesnea Sm.. Family column.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Potentilla indica — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 8 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .