A genus of attractive, dense, ground-cover plants for small areas of a border, large rock garden or a woodland garden. They have five-petalled saucer-shaped yellow flowers that bloom singly or in clusters and trifoliate leaves with wedge shaped leaflets. The foliage is evergreen, but may turn bronze in winter.

Waldsteinia fragarioides is sometimes known as the barren strawberry in those parts of North America where it grows wild. It is particularly valuable for planting around shrubs and larger perennials, where its showy yellow flowers will shine against the bright green foliage.