Duchesne something-or-other, also known as false strawberry or Indian strawberry. It's a royal pain, and hard to get rid of. Persevere!

Duchesnea indica, it does get a yellow flower. A few of mine are blooming now (or they were until I pulled them up!).

Or barrens strawberry. Blooms yellow instead of white like a normal strawberry. Sometimes makes little round strawberries that have no flavor. Urban legend is that they are poisonous which is not true.

Remember back when I mentioned that I went kinda crazy ordering seeds from England for my birthday present to myself... well one of the seeds I bought (thats right, PAID money for!) was for a variegated form of this plant. Oh well, if it escapes my pots and mixes with the wild weeds at least the weeds in my yard will be prettier.

John, there is NO bloom.

Thanks everyone, I'll look it up
Carla

Carla - It is probably wild strawberry. I have tons of it and some will bloom sparsely and set tiny seedy fruit. I pull everyone I find this time of year.

the duchesnea doesn't always have bloom on it, carla, and often if it does it's sparse. It's harder to pull than wild strawberry and the leaves are smaller and more angular or something. Once you see them both together it isn't too hard too tell them apart. Regardless, if it's bugging you pull it. Our wild strawberries have a good flavor, but they are super soft, so i pull almost all of them.

John, i believe PDN was selling a variegated form of creeping charlie there for a while. Does that make you feel better?

Hmm the only thing that looks like strawberry is the wild strawberry...just has blooms...unlike yours. Maybe a picture would be best?

nope- look at this.

remember, it doesn't always have blooms or fruit on it (in fact, i'd say that's scarce). just look at the leaf structure and see if it matches.

Here is a link that might be useful: pic of duchesnia

Oh no, it does have a yellow bloom. I didn't edit this pic.
{{gwi:567452}}
This monster is going to drive me batty. I hate it so much I can't tell you how much.

Thanks everyone,
Carla

The persons from whom we bought the house actually planted this as groundcover in the shade garden. I'm constantly battling it - vinca can outpace it if you have enough. Drew and I are planting more vinca and other combatants.

I agree its the weed from

anyone need some vinca? i have plenty... LOL

Jody, Tamelask, does that really work, Vinca? I have some growing in the garden but sometimes rip some up. I always wonder, you can't get mulch around the roses and really tell what's going on. Or I can just have it around every where else. Oh my, sounds like more work. I am going out there when the weather is better, ha ha ha. I'm going to spray the glory out of that stuff!.

Carla

Well, Vinca does smother out most stuff, and is certainly more desirable than duchesnia, BUT, it can be invasive in turn and isn't native, either- pick your poison. I have lots because i planted it on a slope i wanted stabilized and then later realized it was going too far into my woods. and i'd rather keep that area natives. It's great for under planting things and in areas where you mow around the edges so it can't get out of bounds. It doesn't climb or reseed too much, so as long as you can get all the way around it, it's a good choice. It does stabilize slopes well, too. You can mulch lightly over it- the mulch will work it's way down under the leaves. Mine's in woods and i don't rake the area and it's not smothered. The leaves work in or blow off.

If you're coming to the raleigh swap next weekend, let me know and i'll bring some. If not, or instead, you can come at your own schedule and dig all you want and more. Just drop me a line and let me know what you want to do.