Common Strawberry ..... Fragaria
virginiana
 Common Strawberry .... © Harvey Kirsch
The common strawberry is a member of the Rose Family ( Rosaceae )
and is present April thru June. To the Ojibway Peoples the Strawberry is a gift of forgiveness. In a legend; similar to the story of Cain and Able; a young disobedient Ojibway boy accidentally kills his brother. He buries him to hide the body, and returns home claiming his brother got lost. Members of the Tribe searched and searched, but could not find the boy. Some time later the guilt stricken boy returned to where he had buried his brother. On the grave strawberry plants had grown, bearing sweet red berries. It is believed the fruit was a sign of forgiveness from his dead brother.
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 Hybrid Strawberries
Today's cultivated strawberries are the hybrids of this wild plant. It's fruit is very sweet, although not as large as the hybrid fruit. Another common berry, the wild raspberry is related.
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