Habitat
Type: shady grassy places, open woods
Distribution: throughout northern hemisphere
Prefers: lime

General
Growth type: herb
Cycle: perennial
Height: up to 25 cm

Leaf
Shape: trefoil
Texture: shiny top, downy below
Edge: toothed

Stem
Texture: silky hairs
Other: creeping, often producing new rooted plant where stem touches ground

Flower
Diameter: 15mm
Petals/sepals: 5, pointed, close together
Arrangement: solitary
When: April to July
Colour:

Fruit
Shape: heart
Colour: red

Seed
Size: tiny
Casing: fruit
Other: the seeds sit in dimples on the surface of the fruit

February to August - best May and June
all year - best September to November
June to September

Flavour
Rating and Description:
sweet-sour, like cultivated, but stronger flavour

How to Consume
young: raw, tea
roasted (coffee substitute)
raw

Nutrition
iron, potassium, ellagic acid

Used as ...
food

Action:
astringent, depurative, diuretic, laxative, tonic
astringent, diuretic

May treat:
diarrhoea; external: sunburn, chilblains; powdered in oil: open sores
(contains salicylic acid) rheumatism, gout, liver and kidney complaints
diarrhoea, chronic dysentery; external: chillblains

Collection
May be mistaken for Barren Strawberry, Potentilla sterilise, a non-fruiting cousin. See image page to compare.
hidden below leaves

Drying
dry to store

Note
more active dried; infusion: 25g to 1/2 litre.
Food for the Grizzled Skipper caterpillar.

Plant parts:
leaf
stem or trunk
sap
root, bulb, tuber and other below ground parts
flower
fruit
seed

Use:
culinary use
medicinal use
household use

Other:
caution

General Glossary

• trefoil: leaf with three leaflet or lobes

Glossary of Medicinal Terms and Nutritive Substances

• astringent: causes localised contraction of blood vessels and tissue, reducing the flow of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• depurative: eliminates toxins and purifies the system, especially the blood
• diuretic: increases secretion and elimination of urine
• ellagic acid: an antioxidant which may be beneficial against cancer, heart disease and other medical problems
• laxative: evacuates the bowels or softens stools
• tonic: improves general health, bringing steady improvement