Are Wild Strawberries Just Miniature Strawberries?

The wild strawberries belong to the same genus, but not to the same species as the garden strawberry. The large-fruited garden strawberries come from a cross between the so-called scarlet strawberry from North America and the so-called Chilean strawberry.

The varieties on the market all belong to the large-fruited garden strawberry. Strawberries are considered to be a very delicate fruit, and breeding efforts continue to strive for varieties that are as tasty and durable as possible. Wild strawberries are of no economic importance.

All parts of the wild strawberry plant are edible. The leaves can be used in salads or teas, for example, the edible flowers are good for decoration and the fruits taste great on their own, in desserts, or in jams. However, you should not cook jam exclusively from wild strawberries. In large quantities, the fruit can taste bitter after heating. On the one hand, this is due to the terpenes it contains: the secondary plant substances can give off a bitter taste that is perceived as unpleasant. In addition, wild strawberries, unlike strawberries, do not have a balanced sugar-acid ratio.