Strawberry tree
Arbutus unedo
A handsome evergreen that fruits and flowers at the same time in autumn, feeding you and late pollinators together. Tolerates shade, wind and poor soil; slow but rewarding.
Strawberry tree in a syntropic line
Strawberry tree belongs in the Medium layer as a Climax productive species. The productive heart — most of your yield lives here. Rough in-row spacing starts around 5 m in a syntropic row. Good line partners include Leucaena, Tree medick. As a Climax species it is meant to stay for the long term — protect its light and root space as pioneers fade.
Tolerances and growing conditions
- Strata
- Medium
- Lifecycle
- Climax
- Soil preference
- Rocky, Loam
- Soil pH range
- 5.5 – 8
- Min. temperature
- -15°C
- Min. rainfall
- 550 mm/year
- Wind tolerance
- High
- Frost tolerance
- Medium
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Irrigation needed
- Low
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Waterlogging tolerance
- Medium
- Origin
- Mediterranean
- Native to Portugal
- Yes
How to manage it
Evergreen understory tree for fruit and late-autumn pollinator forage; tolerates part shade and resprouts from a lignotuber, so it handles light structural pruning well.
How to prune
Strawberry tree needs only light winter shaping: thin crossing and dead wood and remove excess basal shoots to keep a multi-stem or small-tree form, since it resprouts from a lignotuber if cut harder. Avoid heavy canopy removal — it fruits and flowers on existing evergreen wood.
How to propagate
Sow fresh seed in autumn; seedlings need patience but germinate well.
Guidance, not a guarantee — success varies by species and skill.
What to watch out for
Unusually for a Ericaceae member it tolerates alkaline, calcareous soil - don't assume it needs acid ground. Fruit is edible but bland raw and can ferment on the tree, mildly intoxicating if eaten in quantity by birds or livestock.
Frequently asked questions about Strawberry tree
Is strawberry tree frost-hardy?
Yes for winter cold in many climates — generally hardy to around -15°C when dormant, with medium frost tolerance in the catalog. Flowering crops can still lose a season to late frost, so site them carefully.
What soil does strawberry tree need?
It does best on rocky, loam ground, at pH about 5.5–8.
How much water does strawberry tree need?
Plan for a rainfall floor around 550 mm/year, plus low irrigation once established.
Can strawberry tree handle wet or waterlogged soil?
It has medium waterlogging tolerance — short winter wet is usually fine, standing water is not.
What should I watch out for with strawberry tree?
Unusually for a Ericaceae member it tolerates alkaline, calcareous soil - don't assume it needs acid ground. Fruit is edible but bland raw and can ferment on the tree, mildly intoxicating if eaten in quantity by birds or livestock.
Strawberry tree in soil templates
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