Mock strawberry (Duchesnea indica)
Mock strawberry (Duchesnea indica)
The mock strawberry, as it's name would suggest, is not all it seems...
This interesting little plant can be very useful in the right place. Also known as the Indian strawberry or false strawberry, the name mock strawberry
gives a very good indication of it's appearance.With it's shiny red berries and three lobed, almost evergreen leaves it is extremely similar to our native strawberry in appearance and habit, creeping along the ground with stolons or runners, but the flowers, though similar are a bright buttercup yellow.
At home in the woodlands of eastern and southern Asia, it makes a very good groundcover even in quite dense shade, but will spread and sprawl about almost anywhere given the chance. Although it can become invasive if left to it's own devises, pulling it up is not difficult due to it's shallow roots, so a moist soil suits it better than a dry.
The berries are most decorative and somewhat larger than a wild strawberry so they do look most tempting, but although some say the flavour is reminiscent of water melon (if you have a good imagination) they are probably best left for your birds to enjoy, then maybe they'll leave your 'real' strawberries alone!