Beach strawberry with blue oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens)6. Beach Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis)Native to the West Coast of North AmericaCousin to the strawberries we grow for fruit, beach strawberry spreads by runners to form an evergreen mat of glossy green foliage, dotted with white flowers in spring and tiny edible red berries in early summer. Plants grow 4 to 6 inches tall and quickly spread to a few feet wide; they can be kept lower with mowing in spring. Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) is not nearly as tolerant to foot traffic as sun-loving beach strawberry, but it is a good option in dappled shade.Walkability: Tolerates moderate foot traffic; springs back easily when stepped on. It’s less smooth and more mounding than ground covers like silver carpet (Dymondia margaretae) but soft underfoot.Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)Water requirement: Moderate to low; drought-tolerantLight requirement: Full sun to light shade
Beach strawberry with blue oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens)6. Beach Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis)Native to the West Coast of North AmericaCousin to the strawberries we grow for fruit, beach strawberry spreads by runners to form an evergreen mat of glossy green foliage, dotted with white flowers in spring and tiny edible red berries in early summer. Plants grow 4 to 6 inches tall and quickly spread to a few feet wide; they can be kept lower with mowing in spring. Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) is not nearly as tolerant to foot traffic as sun-loving beach strawberry, but it is a good option in dappled shade.Walkability: Tolerates moderate foot traffic; springs back easily when stepped on. It’s less smooth and more mounding than ground covers like silver carpet (Dymondia margaretae) but soft underfoot.Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)Water requirement: Moderate to low; drought-tolerantLight requirement: Full sun to light shade
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