Arbutus unedo

 

  Strawberry Tree

  Family: Ericaceae

  Origin: Europe and the Mediterranean

Hardiness: Hardy to 10 degrees, USDA Zones 8, 9 and 10
Growth: Slow growing
Form: Shrub or tree, 10 to 25 feet high and wide
Leaves: Dark green, leathery, toothed edges,
Flowers: Clusters, pendulous, white, urn-shaped, in fall
Fruit or Seeds: Orange to red round berries in fall and winter
Exposure: Sun or part shade
Water: Deep watering in summer
Soil: Tolerates most soils; prefers good drainage
Fertilizer: Spring or fall if at all
Prune: Thin and shape; reveal twisted branches and brown bark
Problems: Aphids, scale; sooty mold

'Compacta' grows only to 6 feet. Excellent landscape shrub or tree. Prune to control shape and size and to open up to expose the structure of the branches and the shreddy, dark brown-red bark.

© 1997 by Jim Clatfelter.         Go to Garden California Home Page

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