Arbutus unedo. Photo courtesy Great Plant Picks.
Does your garden tend to look sad in late summer and fall? Consider adding seasonal interest with Arbutus unedo, or strawberry tree. It is a standout in the landscape this time of year, and continues to look beautiful all year long.
Features include:
- Evergreen shrub with dark green, glossy leaves and attractive reddish-brown bark
- Produces small white urn-shaped flowers in the fall
- Also produces round, orange-red fruit in fall (the fruit is attractive but not edible)
Arbutus unedo is a large plant. It may reach 8 to 10 feet tall and wide in 10 years and eventually grow to 20 feet tall and wide.
The dwarf variety, Arbutus unedo ‘Compacta,’ grows more slowly. It may eventually reach six to 10 feet tall and wide.
Strawberry tree prefers full sun or light shade and well-drained soil. It is drought-tolerant once established. Grow it in a protected site to ensure fruit every year. The branching and bark’s sculptural qualities may be enhanced with pruning.
Find out more at Great Plant Picks, which recommends plants that grow well in the maritime Pacific Northwest. The website currently has over 900 recommended plants, including trees, shrubs, grasses, perennials and more.
“Grow it in a protected site” is odd advice after saying it likes full sun and is drought tolerant. Can you add some info to make sense of this?
Thanks for the question. I did a little research and here is what I found: Because the foliage, flowers and fruits may be damaged in particularly cold winters, sheltered locations may protect a tree from damage. In other words, protect the tree from strong winter winds. I have also been told that it doesn’t like wet feet. I have two in my yard, and I lost a large portion of one in a cold and wet winter. It did survive and fill in the dead spot, and now it looks great.