Green Witch Plant Profile: Creating “Mock” Strawberry Magick

The other day, I discovered what I thought to be wild strawberries in my yard. Huzzah! As it turns out, the tiny red fruits I found are the product of an invasive plant called False Strawberry, also known as “Mock” Strawberry. Still edible with medicinal value but not very nice to eat (or so some believe). However, Ode and I got to thinking about how Mock Strawberry may be used in magick. So, I thought I’d share the information learned.

Mock Strawberry: Very Similar To The Real Thing

Known as Duchesnea indica (or Potentilla indica) this plant is a member of the rose family but not the branch that gives us true wild strawberry. They are similar to strawberry plants in that the leaves are close to the ground with horizontal shoots or “runners” that spread up from the root. This means the plant is able to spread and grow widely. They have a small five-petaled yellow flower that imitates real wild strawberry flowers (that are white with 5 petals). The stem and leaves are “hairy” and the leaves are similar to true wild strawberry with slight differences in the edges.

Originating from India, the Mock Strawberry fruit is bright red with a pronounced “seeded” look that protrude from the berry. They are juicy but mostly bland in flavor. The plant is not poisonous. They found their way to North America as ornamental plants and proceeded to spread, as animals and birds do eat the fruit. So, they will show up in a person’s yard or garden. Much like ivy, they make a good ground cover for areas where it’s difficult to grow grass.

Plus side, since they are edible they can be harvested as you would normal strawberries. Wait until they are round and bright red. Wash the fruits and store in the refrigerator as you do other fruit until use.

The leaves can be dried and made into tea. The berries can be added to a traditional strawberry pie when you are short of the quantity needed. They can also be made into a jelly. Much like true strawberries, the mock variety is also high in Vitamin C, so there is a benefit to making use of this plant if it crops up in your yard or garden.

Medicinal Use for Mock Strawberry include:

• Leaves can be crushed to be made into a poultice for burns, abscesses, boils, abrasions, bug bites, eczema, etc.
• The leaves can also be made into a tea that can cleanse in the way of a diuretic or a laxative.
• The flowers make a tea to assist in blood circulation.

Make Some Mock Strawberry Magick

Strawberry magick tends to be centered on beauty, friendship, good luck, harmony, relationships, visions. And I do believe Mock Strawberry can be used as a “stand-in” for those intentions if one is short on traditional or wild strawberry leaves, flowers, fruit.

However, I can see the benefit of using Mock Strawberry to create a glamour to hide one’s true face in a dangerous (emotional/spiritual) situation. Or to reveal the true intentions of a lover if infidelity is suspected. How about using Mock Strawberry to discern a harmful gossip within a social group? Remember, nature has teeth.

Get to know Mock Strawberry. In my opinion, it can be a useful ally for both healing or hexing.

Some Suggestions For Using Mock Strawberry In Spellcraft:

Create a decoction to use as a face wash or pour in a bath to create a glamour.

Bake a dessert with Mock Strawberry as an ingredient, then serve it to those for whom your intention is directed.

Place the dried berries or leaves in a witches’ bag.

Sew the dried berries or leaves into a poppet.

Create an ink from the juice of the ripe berries.

Create a talisman from the dried berries.

Weave a crown from the leaves to wear during ritual/spellcraft with your intention in mind to aid in your magickal working.