Arbutus unedo is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the family Ericaceae, native to the Mediterranean region and western Europe. The tree is well known for its fruits, which bear some resemblance to the strawberry—hence the common name "strawberry tree". However, it is not closely related to true strawberries of the genus Fragaria.
Its presence in Ireland also lends it the moniker "Irish strawberry tree", or cain, or cane apple (from the Irish name for the tree, Caithness), or sometimes "Killarney strawberry tree". The strawberry tree is the national tree of Italy because of its green leaves, its white flowers, and its red berries, colors that recall the Italian flag.
Arbutus unedo was one of the many species described by Carl Linnaeus in Volume One of his landmark 1753 work Species Plantarum, giving it the name it still bears today.
A study published in 2001 which analyzed ribosomal DNA from Arbutus and related genera found Arbutus to be paraphyletic, and A. used to be closely related to the other Mediterranean Basin species such as A. andrachne and A. canariensis and not to the western North American members of the genus.
Arbutus unedo and A. andrachne hybridize naturally where their ranges overlap; the hybrid has been named Arbutus × andrachnoides (syn. A. × hybrida, or A. andrachne × unedo), inheriting traits of both parent species, though fruits are not usually borne freely, and as a hybrid is unlikely to breed true from seed. It is sold in California as Arbutus x Marina named for a district in San Francisco where it was hybridized
| Requirement | |
|---|---|
| Hardiness | 7,8,9 |
| Heat Zones | 7,8 |
| Climate Zones | 7, 8, 9 |
| Plant Type | Shrubs |
| Plant Family | Ericaceae |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest | Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Early Spring, Mid Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Mid Summer, Late Summer |
| Height | 5' - 6' |
| Spread | 4' - 5' |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Maintenance | Average |
| Soil Type | Acid |
| Characteristics | Showy, Evergreen, Fruit & Berries, Attracts Butterflies |
| Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden |
| Planting Place | Beds and Borders, Small Gardens |