Chenopodium capitatum var. capitatum
Strawberry blite
Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: annual · Native
Strawberry blite is a California native annual found in central Sierra Nevada, Peninsular Ranges, and White and Inyo Mountains in moist to dry sandy meadows, thickets, and open woodlands at elevations below 3,000 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces small spherical clusters of tiny green to red flowers that transform into distinctive fleshy red fruits. Growing with spreading branches up to 40 centimeters tall, it develops a delicate, loosely structured form. Its leaves have triangular blades with sharply toothed edges, often shaped with a truncate or heart-shaped base that gives the plant an unusual architectural quality. The edible red fruits cluster tightly, resembling small strawberries and giving the plant its evocative common name.
Habitat: Moist to dry, sandy or grassy meadows, thickets, open woodland
Bloom period: Jun-Aug
Elevation: < 3000 m
Bioregions: c SNH, PR, W&I
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.