Scientific Name:
Arbutus unedo
Pronunciation:
ar-BU-tus you-NEE-doe
Common Name:
strawberry tree
Family Name:
Ericaceae
Plant Type:
Broadleaf evergreen
Key ID Features:
Large evergreen shrub with shaggy orange-red bark; leaves alternate, most blades obovate, 6-10cm long x 2-4cm wide, glossy dark green, leathery, serrate, most petioles 0.6-2cm long; flowers whitish-pink, urn-shaped, 6mm long, Oct-Jan; berries round, 1.5-3cm wide, orange to red-scarlet, spiky, Oct-Nov.
Habit:
Spreading, Upright
Form:
Round
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
3 - 5m
Mature Spread:
4 - 5m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
Central / west Asia, Europe
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 7: (-18 to -12 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade, Sheltered
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Attract beneficial insects, Attract birds, Hedge row, Herb, Mixed shrub border, Small garden/space, Winter interest, Woodland margin
Additional Info:
Google. Most images are of A. ‘Compacta’ (only 2-3m tall when mature).
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Leathery, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Glabrous, Lustrous
Colour in Summer:
Green, Dark-green
Colour in Fall:
Green, Dark-green
Shapes:
Elliptic, Obovate
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Cuneate
Margins:
Serrate
Inflorescence Type:
Panicle
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Urceolate
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White
Flower Scent:
Fragrant
Flower Time at Peak:
Jan, Oct, Nov, Dec
Additional Info:
Flowers may last into new year if sheltered from extreme cold.
Fruit Type:
Berry (true), Edible
Fruit Colour:
Orange, Red, Dark-red
Fruiting Time:
Oct, Nov
Additional Info:
Showy, Edible, Mealy and bland tasting; Take a year to mature
Bark Morphology:
Papery, Exfoliating, Multi-stem trunk
Bark or Stem Colour:
Red, Brown
Leaf Bud Type:
Ovoid, Scales 4-ranked
Leaf Scar Shape:
Round
Organ Modifications:
Ectomycorrhizae
Propagation:
Seed, Greenwood cuttings, Softwood cuttings, Hardwood cuttings
Maintenance:
Low
Other:
Yung plants may need winter protection
Pest Susceptibility:
Abiotic disorder, Aphids or adelgids, Crown rot, Fungal leaf spot, Root rot, Scale insects (Drought tolerant)
Specific Pests:
Winter temperatures below 12C can weaken plants; Phytophthora
