Mock Strawberry

Mock Strawberry (Potentilla indica) is in the rose family family (Rosaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 3,264 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.

Nationally it blooms mainly from April to May, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.

When to photograph Mock Strawberry: observations by month (U.S.)

About Mock Strawberry

Duchesnea indica (sometimes called Potentilla indica), known commonly by the names mock strawberry, Indian strawberry, or false strawberry, is a strawberry-like plant that has foliage and an aggregate accessory fruit similar to that of a true strawberry, though this is apparently an independent evolution of the similar fruit type. It has yellow flowers, unlike the white or slightly pink flowers of true strawberries. It is native to eastern and southern Asia, but has been introduced to...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Mock Strawberry by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related wildflowers (rose family)

Multiflora RoseRosa multiflora

Virginia strawberryFragaria virginiana

Southern DewberryRubus trivialis

Trailing BlackberryRubus ursinus

Purple-Flowered RaspberryRubus odoratus

ThimbleberryRubus parviflorus

SalmonberryRubus spectabilis

OsoberryOemleria cerasiformis

Photography tips

• Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
• Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
• Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
• Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.

FAQ