Plant Portrait - Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

The strawberry tree is a beautiful small evergreen tree or shrub that can occasionally reach 9 metres tall and 8 metres wide, though it is usually rather smaller. There are several named forms and some of these are no more than 2 - 3 metres tall.

A very easily grown and trouble-free plant, it does best in a nutrient-rich well-drained moisture-retentive soil in sun or semi-shade. It also grows well in heavy clay soils and in dry soils. Most species in this genus require a lime-free soil but this species is fairly lime tolerant. Especially when young, it prefers a fairly sheltered position and dislikes cold drying winds. It is, however, surprisingly tolerant of strong winds if they are not from the cold northerly and easterly quarters and can succeed in fairly exposed positions near the coast. This is a very good tree to grow in towns because it tolerates industrial pollution.

The plant is hardy in most parts of Britain and has withstood temperatures down to at least -16°c without injury when grown in suitable conditions, though young plants would usually be killed at temperatures as low as this. Because they resent root disturbance, it is best to plant them out into their final positions as soon as possible. It is probably, therefore, a good idea to give them some protection from the cold for their first winter or two outdoors if the weather is very cold.

The strawberry tree produces masses of beautiful white flowers in November and December. Since the fruit takes 12 months to ripen, the tree carries both mature fruit and flowers at the same time and is then incredibly beautiful. This is a superb plant to grow as a specimen in a lawn, and it also grows very well on the sunny edges of a woodland garden.

We have received a number of queries about this tree, usually asking if the fruit is edible. The answer is yes, though this does need to be qualified. The fruit varies considerably in size, though it averages about 15 - 20mm in diameter. It is a lovely red colour and, from a distance, does look a little like strawberries - hence the common name of the plant. The resemblance to strawberries, however, does not apply to the taste. The books say that it is sweet but insipid, and the Latin name 'unedo' means 'I eat one (only)' and suggests that the fruit is not very palatable. Whilst it does have a somewhat gritty skin, when fully ripe the fruit itself has the texture of a lush tropical fruit and has a delicate pleasant flavour. For those people with sensitive taste buds, this is a fruit that can be enjoyed when eaten in moderate quantities. Most of us at Plants For A Future who have tried the fruit raw like it, and a few of us actually like it enough to eat in quantity. Some people, however, fully agree with the person who gave the plant its Latin name and will not touch it. The fruit can also be cooked and is used to make delicious and nourishing jams and preserves.

Ripening over a period of several weeks in late autumn and early winter, the fruit is well-mannered enough to fall from the tree when it is fully ripe. It is a good idea to make sure that the fruit has a soft surface to fall on so that it is not damaged by the fall. Short grass is very good for this. If you do not want to wait for the fruit to fall, it can be picked when it is deep red in colour and very soft to the touch. It needs to be eaten within 24 hours or it will start to decay. You can also pick the fruit when it is fully coloured but still very firm, and will then store for a few days.

The plant is widely available from many nurseries and garden centres. It is also fairly easy to propagate. The best way is from seed - this is best sown on the surface of a compost in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe. If you are unable to obtain the ripe seed, then stored seed should be soaked for 5 - 6 days in warm water before being sown in late winter. Do not allow the compost to become dry. The seed usually germinates well in the middle to late spring. The seedlings are rather small and slow-growing, they are also prone to damp off and so must be kept well-ventilated, preferably in a lightly shaded position. Transplant then into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions when they are 20 - 30cm tall, the best time for this is in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts.

It is also possible to propagate from cuttings, and this is the only way of propagating the named varieties. You use mature wood about 15 - 20cm long of the current season's growth, preferably with a heel. Take them in November or December and plant them in a frame, preferably with bottom heat. They are a bit slow to root and you often get a poor percentage take. To improve this, try soaking some chopped willow twigs in cold water for 24 hours and then watering the cuttings with this water. The willow bark contains root-promoting hormones and will encourage root formation in the cuttings.

If there are some branches low enough, it is possible to produce new plants by layering. You make a small incision with a knife into the base of the young wood on the branch and then peg this into the ground. It can take up to 2 years, but this branch will usually produce roots and can be separated from the parent plant when it is growing away successfully.

There are a number of named varieties that have been developed for their ornamental value and these are usually much smaller than the species and therefore of special value where space is at a premium. 'Compacta' is a dwarf shrub growing perhaps 2 metres tall eventually. It seems that there is more than one form of this cultivar. The form that is currently available fruits very freely, even when less than 1 metre tall, though older forms were said to fruit very poorly. 'Croomei' is a form with red-tinged flowers that grows perhaps 4 metres tall and wide. It is said to be a very reliable fruiting form, though I do not know if it is still available from nurseries. 'Elfin King' produces very good sized fruits up to 25mm in diameter which have a sweet flavour. This is a slow-growing compact plant, often no more than 1 metre tall. It comes into bearing early, sets fruit freely and is ideal for container growing. 'Rubra' is a slow growing form with lovely red-tinged flowers. It can eventually reach 4 metres or more tall and wide. I have seen it when only one metre tall absolutely laden down with fruits and flowers.

Database

The database has more details on these plants: Arbutus unedo.

Readers Comments

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

mark Thu Apr 12 19:46:40 2001

Where is the largest known specimin growing in the U.K. if so where and how big

Many thanks Mark .

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Sat Jul 28 05:48:05 2001

It would be great to add more scientic details of the plants such as the shape of leaves, flowers etc to make this site more complete

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Billy Tue Aug 28 12:38:23 2001

What is the life expectancy of this tree??

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Júlio Reis Tue Apr 2 14:55:45 2002

In Portugal, they make an alcoholic beverage called "medronheira" from the fruit of this tree, which would translate as "strawberry tree firewater". It's very alcoholic but very aromatic, can be used in cakes, or it can be sipped in (preferably) small quantities, like port. The fruit itself is delicious, at least to my palate. There are flower, leaf and fruit pictures here.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Ian Bruce Tue May 28 21:33:40 2002

Does this plant have any invasive species characteristics for growing in the Northwest??

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Shari Mon Jun 3 22:31:35 2002

Hi. :) I wanted to comment on something in the essay at the top of this page. It mentions that the strawberry tree's fruit is edible and although usually bland, some people like to eat it, and it also makes good perserves and jams. Yes, the fruit IS edible. In fact, I've tried the fruits myself, and I've found that some trees/bushes seem to have more flavourful fruit than others. However, I have read on several websites related to plants and trees that this fruit should NOT be eaten in large or even medium quantities, because it can cause stomach/intestinal upset, vomiting and even seizures in some people. I don't know how often this is the case, but it doesn't exactly sound like something I'd want to spread on my bread! :( Anyone else have further information about whether the fruits are indeed mildly toxic?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

? Mon Jun 24 15:57:19 2002

A lovely tree which produces a sweet fruit

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Keith Juden Wed Sep 11 11:55:41 2002

Known in Spain as "modroño". The emblem of Madrid is this tree, with a bear stretching to eat the fruit, so it's at least edible by some species!

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Sat Oct 5 04:20:06 2002

Thanks for the post. My golden retriever ate a bunch of the fruit and leaves and vomited a couple of times and is feeling quite poorly now. I thik she will be ok. I was a bit concerned for a while.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Sean Mon Oct 7 16:03:20 2002

I've just returned from Corsica where I have eaten some extremely nice Arbous jam made from this plant and also bought a bottle of Arbous liqueur which was one of the nicest I have ever tasted.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Joel Kaplan Tue Nov 5 01:14:27 2002

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and planted several of these plants as a screen about 25 years ago. They are now quite large (about 25 feet tall) and very prolific with fruit. Although the fruit is quit attractive, when it drops on the ground it can be quite messy. Does anyone know of a treatment (systemic or spray) that can be used to reduce the amount of fruit?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Ana Margarida Martins Tue Dec 10 16:46:54 2002

Hello!!! About the toxicity of this fruit: in Portugal we do make jam and liqueur (aguardente de Medronho) with it. I have personally eaten many of these fruits and I can tell you they're very sweet and tasty. But in Portugal the cultural say about Arbous is that you shouldn't eat too many, or you risk beeing drunk. That's probably because the fruit ripens very quickly and ferments. That's why you feel sick and dizzy... because you're slightly drunk... But nothing serious... Enjoy the fruits everybody!!!

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Clem Snide Tue Feb 11 10:16:38 2003

I can't understand the frequent references in books to the unpalatibility of this fruit. One reference said it was inedible in Ireland. You never see it mentoned in books on edible fruit. I find it quite delicious, with a tropical flavour, like a cross between guava and nectarine. Mind you, I usually eat it from the inside out, purely in order to avoid any dirt on the outside. The only problem with the skin is its mealy texture rather than its taste, though this isn't really unpleasant anyway. I can only think that in cold climates it doesn't get enough sun to make good fruit (I am in Australia), or perhaps it's the soil. Or maybe some people pick it when unripe. Given its hardiness, it could be that people don't treat it as carefully as it deserves. According to Frances Bodkin, it is narcotic in large quantities, but I have had no problems eating a few at a time.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

jan johnston Tue Jun 10 00:50:45 2003

I planted a number of arbutus unedo 6 years ago. The area is well drained. Some are in sun and some are in mostly shade. Some of the soil is clay but most of it is slightly acid and fairly good. The temperature here (Seattle) never falls below 25 degrees and it is never hot in the summer. The plants have died one by one. The inner leaves turn yellow, then more of the leaves turn yellow, and then they all go brown. There are a few small black rimmed holes on the yellow leaves. I have tried a multi-purpose insect spray but it doesn't seem to do much good. Does anyone have an idea why they have died?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Ilene Holmes Fri Jun 13 13:05:58 2003

I need to know how it turned out for the dog that ate some of the fruit and leaves and got sick. I am planning to put in 2 arbutus unedo and i have an AKC champion dog. He sometimes collects sticks and fruits to chew on. I would not want to plant the tree if it is going to make my dog sick.

Can anybody tell me about toxicity of the plant for animals and children?

imholmes@mindspring.com Ilene Holmes

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Jane Doe Fri Jun 13 22:41:57 2003

I live in the hills of Berkeley, CA. I have been told not to eat the fruit of this very beautiful large and loaded with fruit Strawberry tree in the back yard also because it was believed to be poisonous. I saw a bird carry a fruit to a roof top the other day and eat it so I decided to do some research. I ate one today and have to agree that it tastes like a a guava and nectarine. I found it tasty and plan to eat more. I would love to get the recipe for jam & maybe even the liquer.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Sun Jun 22 02:00:14 2003

I found this information soon after reading about your problem. Perhaps the answer lies there... http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pp/extension/tfabp/santsmf.shtml

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

John Sampson Tue Oct 14 21:30:24 2003

We have grown an Arbutus Unedo in Cornwall. It is in a small garden and is now over 20 feet high and with a splendid canopy of leaves. But it is too large too large for the small garden. Could any one advise how and when we should prune it?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Jon Tuson Mon Nov 17 11:18:52 2003

Will the plant take well tell pruning?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Ufuk Kaya Thu Nov 20 08:36:26 2003

Thanks for the information given.I want to build up an arbutus garden in Istanbul and will try to grow several types of it in one place. If you - friends from all over the world- send me the seeds or saplings of of your local plants, it will be a very valuable support to make an anonim Arberetum of Arbutus species.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Gary McCune Tue Jan 27 20:01:45 2004

Jan, I work at Highline Community College in Des Moines, WA so I'm right in your area. We have two of these plants on campus that have been here for years and are thriving. They are planted on the south side of buildings in sunny locations and produce plenty of fruit. I do not know what type of soil or drainage they have, but they certainly can survive our Seattle climate.

I'm thinking about getting one or two of these so I guess I'll try to talk with the grounds crew for advice on planting if I do, based on your warning!

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

theresa Tue Apr 6 20:27:27 2004

I have a house in Vale da Telha,W.Portugal and I've got this beautiful shrub in my new garden, there are more nearby, unfortunately the area is being destroyed by the bulldozer (urbanization).Can I take cuttings?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Tue Apr 20 00:59:34 2004

I had a chance to eat some of the small berries off this tree at Fruit & Spice Park in South Florida - and I found them delicate and delicious...exceptionally so. I also enjoyed the Mulberry trees / bushes....and I highly recommend visiting the park.

-David mason

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Judi Lilley Wed Mar 23 2005

Mine has been planted for 10 years and has only produced one berry. Tree is healthy. What is the trick?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Geoff Wed Apr 13 2005

We find the fruit from our tree here in Central NSW, Australia, to be very pleasant in small quantities. Like Jane Doe, above, we would be glad of a recipe to preserve it. Perhaps Sean (Oct 7, 2002) could get his Corsican friends to divulge the secret of their Arbous jam!

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Ben Alexander Thu Apr 28 2005

Same as Judi, I have several plants I installed for screening along my backyard fenceline about 4 years ago, in Olympia, Washington. They look beautiful and produce lots of flowers, but no fruit. Anyone else no why? PS - the mdarona beery liquor in POrtugal is the local moonshine in the hills of the Algarve region. I tried some in the town of Monchique. Clear, smooth and firey!

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

R Wentworth Tue May 3 2005

The site http://www.mdadvice.com/library/vita/vitamin282.html indicates this plant is: "Rated slightly dangerous, particularly for children, people over 55 and those who take larger-than-appropriate quantities for extended periods of time." This is in a context of discussing herbal remedies, and some familiar plants such as elderberry, morning glory, nutmeg, coca, St. John's wort, wintergreen receive the same warning. Don't know if it is referring to the fruit or other parts. The site http://www.minitaly.com/floppy/txt/Plants_and_Cats.htm lists it as believed to be safe for cats. http://www.wapc.org/hazards/plants_fungus.htm lists it as a plant "known to be safe or non-poisonous." They warn, though "It is important to remember, though, that children and animals can choke on any plant." Some sites list reputed medicinal properties. Don't know if this is for fruit or leaves, nor what quantities are alleged to be appropriate. The site http://www.biodiversity.org.uk/ibs/envmath/resources/year3/env324/moffatt/HTMLfiles/a_unedo.htm says "In the 17th century a decoction of the leaves and flowers was considered an antidote against the plague and poisons." The site http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Arbutus+unedo&CAN=COMIND lists some reputed medicinal uses (not specific to the fruit).

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

rosa jones Mon May 16 2005

In Japan they preserve this fruit in alcohol(sake I think) to make a liqueur/dessert.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Charlotte Thu May 26 2005

I'm 13 and haven't got much interest in gardening, but I was wondering if this tree would grow on the East Coast of the united states, I live in Pennsylvania and I was wondering If i could grow it here. I also suggest you go to google.com and search more information about the edibilty of this fruit.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Sadeddin Kulturel Tue Jun 21 2005

I am in Istanbul, Turkey. I have too many of this tree in my garden. They were there when I bought the garden, growing wildly. We couldn't manage to grow it by replanting the rooted siblings. But that was our fault, I presume. The ripe fruits are definitely edible. We ate them in large quantities without any side effect. Also we make jams by using them. Does anybody know where the seeds of this tree are? Are they in the fruit? If they are, how can we extract and preserve them? From my observations I've got the impression that this tree is rather difficult to propagate. It prefers to grow wildly. In order to propagate it, advice in the article must be followed. At the end it is a lovely, evergreen tree with a nice fruit, requiring almost no maintenance at all.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Andrew MacKay Fri Jul 1 2005

Two hours ago my dog just ate one of these fruit. She's about 13 pounds, and showed no signs of ill effects until just now. She has started licking the ground and running around like she's nuts. We may have to go to the dog hospital. I would not recommend letting your dog near this tree.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Terry Wed Jul 13 2005

My dog ate a large number of fruits and then vomited.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

karli, brent, kyle, and jesse Tue Sep 27 2005

we have a strawberry tree growing outside of our apartment in seattle and we're all wondering if we can eat it and how to prepare the fruits. we've heard about jams and liquers but we cant find a recipe. does anyone know??

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

chris brooke Wed Sep 28 2005

Hi Karli, Brent, Kyle and Jesse, This is a literal translation of a portuguese site about making the liquer. Please do check relevant state laws with regard to distillation before trying it!! After harvested, the medronhos are placed in proper canisters: dornas. These, are made wooden. The medronhos are conserved with water and take an adobe layer for top, not to be in contact with air. They are thus to leaven during two or three months. After this phase, it is transferred the destillation, that is made by the still. The medronhos are about five hours inside of the still that is inside of the furnace, with the lighted fire. The still it leaves aguardente of medronho, still hot. The finished drink is called "Aguardente de medrhono" or sometimes "Medronheira"(strawberry tree firewater!) Chris Brooke North Wales UK

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

chris brooke Wed Sep 28 2005

Hi Karli, Brent, Kyle and jesse I have done a couple of hours trawling the web and guess what? I've found the recipe!! The reason you may have struggled is that the recipe is almost exclusive to corsica and is called "confiture d'arbouse". The frozen version is called "gelee d'arbouse". "arbouse" being the french derivative of "arbutus". Go to this link and the recipe is available in englsh for you: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.cliquecorse.com/Recettes.shtml&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dcliquecorse%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D Alternatively, type in one of the two names at the top of this email into your favourite search engine and see what comes up. The french word for our recipe is "recette"if you wanted to include that in your search. I hope this helps, keep me in touch with the results! Chris Brooke North Wales UK

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Fri Sep 30 2005

A few years back I bought 50 Arubutus 'Elfin King' from a nursery. I had them in 1 gallon containers, outside. Oregon springs are wet and warm, and the first spring I noticed a severe leaf spot problem. I don't bother growing plants with disease or insect problems, so ended up throwing them all out, except one which has remained very clean. Has anyone else seen a leaf spot problem on Arbutus? I am now propagatine the clean one. dave@robinsonnursery.com

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Judi Fendley, London, UK Sat Oct 22 2005

I've translated the French Corsican recipe for Gelee d'Arbouse into English, as follows: Rinse the fruits, put them into a preserving pan and almost cover them with cold water. Cook for 15 minutes on low heat then pass through muslin or cheesecloth, squeezing well to extract all the juice. Weigh this juice and mix it with the same weight of sugar. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, skimming it occasionally as necessary. It is ready when it forms little beads or droplets. Let it cool before putting into pots.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Daniel Sun Nov 13 2005

just try to eat a couple of fruits, mix them up with some "firewater" made by the destilation of the fruits and the day will be your friend..

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

fiona robers Mon Nov 14 2005

There is one in Waterloo Park in North London next to cafe and apparently onr in Richmond p ark south west london

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

mrs s whiting Thu Nov 24 2005

how do you make jam or anythimg else with the fruit please

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Mr P Driscall Sun Dec 18 2005

There are some brilliant specimens of strawberry tree in Dulwich Park, S. London.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

michael Fri Mar 24 2006

I have a strawberry tree, about 1 and a half foot high, unfortunatly it was damaged by a football, one of its three brances was severed, it looks a little one sided, but its ok. Will it recover its shape over time?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

michael Fri Mar 24 2006

I have a strawberry tree, about 1 and a half foot high, unfortunatly it was damaged by a football, one of its three brances was severed, it looks a little one sided, but its ok. Will it recover its shape over time?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Kathy Wed Apr 5 2006

Re: edibility of arbutus unedo: for four years, 1997 - 200, our family enjoyed breakfast fruitbowls with the ripe fruit of arbutus marina. I combined the fruit with fresh blueberries for tartness to offset the slight cloyingness of the arbutus fruit, plus sliced bananas and sometimes some fresh orange juice. It looked great and was much appreciated. Haven't eaten any since we moved in 2001, but we're still alive and healthy ;-) Here's info. on A. marina, which looks like A. unedo, but has tasty fruit: http://www.madrona.co.uk/plants.htm, https://www.quickbase.com/db/674whazc?a=dr&r=qrb We were located on the central coast of California and the plants grew well in clay soil on a slope. Mature trees in the area take on the dramatic, contorted look of manzanitas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctostaphylos), a cousin in the same plant family. Another bonus was that monarch butterflies flocked to the flowers in the winter (they over wintered near by), covering the tallest branch tips. My mother has a couple of arbutus unedos in her garden but they look like pathetic lollipops, the gardeners having shaved them into round shapes as if they were box hedges. My mother had no idea how beautiful her arbutus could be until she saw photos of mine. I miss my strawberry madrones and hope to plant some arbutus marinas when I get around to landscaping, though I'm a little leery about how they'll do in my new yard, which has the usual California clay, but is without the better drainage of a sloped lot. I think I'll build up some mounds to plant them on. One last thought: both madrones (arbutus menziesii) and manzanitas, plus other members of the Ericaceae family, such as rhododenrons and huckleberries are hosts for Phytophthora ramorum, a fungus that causes Sudden Oak Death (http://nature.berkeley.edu/comtf/html/about_p__ramorum.html#Hosts). If you live in an area where SOD is prevalent, you might want to reconsider investing in a slow growing plant which may not only help spread the disease, but may have its natural life span cut short by the infection.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

mags Fri Apr 7 2006

I see only one comment re messiness of dropped fruit. If I plant it near a sidewalk, will I have to worry about people slipping on dropped fruit?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

sara Sun May 28 2006

We have a strawberry tree on which some leaves have turned yellow I read an earlier notice about them truning yellow having black holes then going brown and dying but no inforamtion as to why or what this is about? Can someone please help us / advise what to do with the tree?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Mrs.C Sat Jun 10 2006

To Sara: It would help to know where you live. If only some leaves have turned yellow, this might be frost bite, or lack of water to only some of the roots. If many leaves are yellowing, this might be lack of water, or lack of iron. Black holes in the leaves is almost certainly an infection such as a soil borne fungus like "Fire Blight", or "Phytophthora ramorum", the fungus that causes "Sudden Oak Death". There are other tree diseases besides these. Your "County Agricultural Extension" or maybe someone at your local collage or university could help. To Mags: Maybe. They can be very messy trees IF they set fruit, and if you don't mean to harvest the fruit, staining the sidewalk, and attracting wasps, bees, rats, and other pests. For a shade tree near a sidewalk, go for something deep rooted with small leaves that doesn't produce flowers, fruit, nuts or seeds, like a male Ginko. Some trees are male and female like the Ginko, other popular shade trees that are sold by nurseries are cuttings from a non-flowering/fruiting branch of a tree. These latter then grow into sterile adults that are much less messy, but you may have to prune them if they later develop a few flowering/fruiting branches. This habit of nurseries is why many people are disappointed with their Mulberry and Strawberry Trees that they bought for their fruit. As always, "Buyer Beware".

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Rob Thu Jul 6 2006

Rob.July 6 2006. Arbutus is a mediterranean species not particularly suited to wet conditions. Yellowing of leaves and eventual death experienced by plants in t5he north west american sea board is probably due to wet conditions and fungal infection. Planting in raised beds with free drainage may help. In response to questions regarding fruiting... the flowering period in the cooler winter seasons in the Mediterranean is when many pollenating insects are more active. Colder north American winters may not offer the same opportunities for insect activity resulting in limited fruit development. As for eating the fruit.. unendo means once only or one at a time in latin so maybe it means try once and dont bother again; birds seem to love them though.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Pam Webb Fri Jul 7 2006

Thanks for an interesting page. We have a lovely Strawberry Tree in the Churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, Ashford, Kent. The tree has stood there for as long as I can remember. The Church is beautiful, the Churchyard and Museum are beautiful but the tree takes a lot of beating. Can I send you a picture?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Lynn Mon Jul 10 2006

I have just planted a strawberry tree in part shade. I live in zone 7b, in North Carolina. Has anyone tried growing one in this area? Mine has been planted for just a month or so, but has just started blooming. It is about 4 ft tall. The information I read said fall was the bloom time, so I wonder what is up. Though full sun is said to be more desireable I planted mine in part shade, since our summers get so hot.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Geraldine Keenan Thu Jul 27 2006

Where would Arbutus Unedo in Ireland?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

STOwner Wed Sep 6 2006

A person earlier asked about planting the tree near a sidewalk. I would strongly recomend against doing this. We have two outside our house and they make a terrible mess on the sidewalk. Because the fruit only drops when ripe, it is quite sticky and it is very easy to track into a house (where it stains carpets etc.). Our trees are quite prolific so pre-emptively dropping the fruit is not an option. If any one has any thoughts on how to stop the fruit production that would be great. Also, for my $0.02, the fruit is not particularly tasty -- I find the the texture particularly off-putting. That being said, it is a pretty tree.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Annie Tue Sep 12 2006

My strawberry tree was planted this summer, during the 110°-114° heat wave in Fresno CA. Dug a deep hole and made sure to break through the hardpan. Mixed the clay soil with Gromulch and gypsum. It was a good size at planting---24" box size. I noticed this weekend, that it is losing whole stems of leaves, like they are just drying up. The ground is moist. Some other leaves have dry brown spots. I also think it should be about 4" higher (out of the ground) as it sunk a couple inches after settling. Should I ask the landscape person who planted it to pull it out and raise it so that it is at least at ground level or 2" above to provide better drainage. I not sure how it should be watered. It's currently being watered with the flower bed plants. I would greatly appreciate any advice. I want very much to not lose it.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

K in San Diego Fri Sep 22 2006

The arbutus unedo is a great looking tree. I am not interested in the fruit and wondered if there is a spray that would prevent the fruit from maturing.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Fabiolateral Thu Oct 26 2006

Hi all, In Garfield Avenue, Roslyn, Dunedin, New Zealand we have a huge 80+yrs Abutus unedo. We have tried the fruit but its a bit tectured for this browser (: The native Woodpigeon or Kereru [large, darkish meat, 24" tip beak to tip tail] adore them and they [pairs] crash into the upper foliage over 10m up to enjoy.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

ARENT Fri Nov 3 2006

Hi all, I live in France, in the médoc region. I made some jam strawberry tree fruits yesterday and I wanted to share the recipe for any interested persons : clean the fruit under running water, take off the stalk with knife. Mesure as much sugar as fruit, let it sit for approx 2 hours, the fruit will make juice. Add the juice of two lemons. Cook till boiling, turn down heat and let simmer for 2 hours.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

ARENT Fri Nov 3 2006

Hi all, I live in France, in the médoc region. I made some jam strawberry from tree fruits yesterday and I wanted to share the recipe for any interested persons : clean the fruit under running water, take off the stalk with knife. Mesure as much sugar as fruit, let it sit for approx 2 hours, the fruit will make juice. Add the juice of two lemons. Cook till boiling, turn down heat and let simmer for 2 hours.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Sun Dec 10 2006

Hello, I have read in several articles that this tree is also native to Ireland and yet it states repeatedly that the tree does not tolerate cold weather or "continental" weather and needs mediterranean climate. Does Ireland have a mediterranean climate ? Being native to Greece, Lebanon AND Ireland seems contradictory. I would appreciate a clarification on this subject and a clear understanding of this tree's cold tolerance. Thanks

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Zwee Fri Dec 22 2006

There is a strawberry tree in one of the Loxley Nurseries near Sheffield/Redmires reservoir, approx 4m high and fruiting well in November 2006.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Sun Jan 14 2007

To the commenters in western Washignton: I am a WA state certified horticulturist and very familiar with the plant, and have worked with it a great deal out here on the Olympic Peninsula. Out here, it seems to fruit best in part sun, the happiest specimens I have seen have been partial understory shrubs or on the north face of buildings. I think the dealth must have had to do with some sort of disease, perhaps they were planted to deep? they are generally trouble-free and require nothing to be productive. I use a little organic fertilizer on the flowering shade perennials below, but have never had to treat it for any bug or fungus problems. As to its size, I recommend Arbutus unedo 'Compacta', more like a large shrub than a tree, and like the species, it very slow growing. It does not need to be very mature to fruit, i have dealt with much nursery stick that bears fruit in its pots. best to prune enough just to remove dead wood and a little bit for shaping- but left to its own devices you will eventually have a large tree-like shrub5 or 6 feet in width and 6 to 15 feet high (very old at this size for a compacta). I cant help but eat the plants I have worked around, and I agree it is a pleasant experience.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

ilex Wed Jan 17 2007

Grows naturally in Spanish mountains. Fruit is edible and I find it very good. It's used locally in comercial deserts. They can get rather big (10+ meters) but usually stays at 3-4 meters high, at least on my area. It's trully beatiful

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Lindsay Sat Mar 17 2007

I have recently noticed that many of the leaves of my newly planted Strawberry tree have formed balck little spots that eventually cover most of the leaves. I am assuming I have a soil fungal problem...Does anyone know of an organic solution to this problem for Arbutus unedo?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

joey gilbert Fri Apr 27 2007

i was wondering how long does it take it to bloom for fruit to set how old does the tree hafe to be

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Ken Fern, Plants for a Future Mon Apr 30 2007

How long the tree takes to produce fruit depends upon how the plant was propagated. When produced from seed, I have had trees fruiting when only 5 years old, though only a few fruits are formed in the early fruiting years. When plants are produced from cuttings, or other vegetative means, then it is possible for the plants to produce a few fruits in their second year.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

elaine gough Fri May 4 2007

Arbutus unedo can be found in Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland, especially in the national park there. It is the only tree native to Ireland, that is not native to Britian having been brought there in 1586.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

William Shepherd Tue May 22 2007

We have a well-established one, about 6ft high and as wide. How would it respond to reshaping into more of a ball shape than umbrella? This is likely to involve removing one or two major branches. If this is a good idea at all when is the best time (in Oxfordshire) and should it be done in one go or over a period?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Terri Rose Sun Jun 10 2007

I have one planted next to a sidewalk and it is messy when the fruit drops. So I recommend not near a walkway. I have allowed my arbutus unedo to get a bit sprawling and large. The branches are 1.5-2 inches in diameter. Will it hurt to prune it back. It is 6 years old.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Kate Wed Jun 13 2007

Any ideas on some fertiliser to put around the tree (currently the ground is exposed before being paved over so want to take advantage and treat it nicely )! Someone suggested blood fish & bone - comments please.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Matthew Clarke Thu Aug 23 2007

It is also found around the shores of Lough Gill in Co. Sligo, Ireland

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Thu Sep 6 2007

I've sampled fruits of several Strawberry Trees growing on the streets and in public places around San Francisco. The variety or the soil seems important. Some trees give delicious, large, soft red fruits. The fruits on other trees aren't as large, sweet, or juicy. The 'Compacta' variety grows more like a shrub, and sadly, two of these have been cut down near the Bible Garden in Golden Gate Park.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Kim Mon Sep 10 2007

Love love this tree! I planted Compacta behind Elfin King. They even take wind! Must be a tree from the garden of eaten.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Lynn Tue Oct 2 2007

I have just moved into an Apartment in surbiton, Surrey and we have about five or six of these trees growing in the grounds all fully laden with bunches of fruits this year. I was concerned they were edible as no wild life touched them, especially the birds and red usually means danger in so many other berries. I am so pleased to have read that they are not a problem and am now looking forward to the blossom!! Yes they do make a bit of a mess but nature must of intended the fruit for something!!

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Christine Mon Oct 22 2007

I have read all the comments with great interest. I have a 4ft x 4ft arbutus currently in flower and with some fruit. I would like to move it to another site to give it some room. Is this possible? If so when I can move it? Any tips/advice would be most welcome. Thanks.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

sait demirbag Sat Nov 10 2007

I ate 6 hours ago at least 10 of the fruits,they were delicious,and there is not any sign of intoxication.(I am 83 kg).

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Justin Basquille Fri Nov 23 2007

I've just discovered a strawberry tree on the Outer Ring of The Regent's Park in London. Fruit are ripe and falling.Not being quite sure, I tasted one anyway, and found it a pleasant fruit.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Heidi Thu Dec 13 2007

I had to move away from a house which had an old Strawberry tree in the garden that had given loads of birds a home and food and huge bumble bees and butterflies nectar. it was a beautiful tree that gave the whole family interest around the year. The garden was sheltered but we live on an island on the south east coast of the uk with quite a mild climate (not counting the winds) I would like to grow another tree myself and was wondering if somebody had experience of growing them in a large pot (I am in rent ing the current property and therefore sadly cannot plant things permanently) Would that be possible?

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Nadia Atalah Wed Dec 19 2007

Is this tree messy. Can this tree be planted near a swimming pool? Thank you very much. Nadia

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Ken Fern, Plants for a Future Thu Dec 20 2007

The tree can be messy in late autumn and early winter when it drops its large red fruits. However, the fruits remain on the ground near the tree so, as long as you do not plant it too near the swimming pool, then there should be no problems with the fruit falling into the water.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

karen Denford Wed Dec 26 2007

can the arbutus unedo be pruned. Thankyou

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Ken Fern, Plants for a Future Fri Dec 28 2007

We have rarely found any need to prune this tree, apart from cutting out any dead branches. However, it does regenerate well, even from old wood, and so is very amenable to pruning.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Ken Fern, Plants for a Future Fri Dec 28 2007

In response to Heidi's question on the 13th December, yes, it is possible to grow this plant in a tub - but choose the smaller growing cultivars such as Elfin King, or Rubra. Make sure the soil is well drained and neutral to slightly acid and you should get good crops of flowers and fruit.

Arbutus unedo, The Strawberry Tree

Peter Thu Feb 14 2008

In response to Nadia, I have found that the tree is quite messy as it produces bright red staining fruit through the summer and fall. So I would not plant it near where any would walk.

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