Strawberry Tree | Evergreen with Red Ornamental Fruit & Pink Flowers

Strawberry Tree

15 Gallon·Multi

$179.90

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Strawberry Tree

Arbutus unedo

A year-round charmer with winter flowers, red "strawberry" fruits, and peeling cinnamon bark.

$179.90

Size 15 Gallon·Multi 15 Gallon·Stand 24" Box·Multi 24" Box·Stand

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Bay Area–Based Nursery

We specialize in plants grown and delivered in their original pots and soil.
Because of their size and weight, our plants are not suitable for long-distance shipping and are delivered locally to ensure health and quality.

While delivery is limited to our local service area, we’re happy to support garden design and plant selection remotely.

For local plant professionals, we’re always glad to connect and explore ways to support your customers.

The Strawberry Tree is a charming, slow-growing evergreen beloved for its unique, year-round ornamental appeal and remarkable toughness. It offers a rare combination of beautiful, urn-shaped pinkish flowers in late autumn and winter, coinciding with the slow ripening of its previous year's fruit. The round, rough-textured fruits ripen from yellow to a vibrant strawberry-red, creating a stunning visual contrast against the glossy, dark green foliage. With its picturesque, reddish, peeling bark and dense, rounded form, this Mediterranean native provides multi-season interest, drought tolerance, and valuable food for wildlife, all in a low-maintenance package.

Unique Simultaneous Flowers and Fruit: One of the most remarkable features of Arbutus unedo is the overlapping presence of flowers and ripening fruit in autumn and winter. While the small, pinkish, urn-shaped flowers bloom, the previous year's fruit simultaneously ripens to a vibrant strawberry-red, creating a stunning and unusual display.

Ornamental Year-Round Interest: Beyond the winter floral and fruiting spectacle, the tree offers glossy, deep green foliage year-round, picturesque peeling reddish-brown bark, and a dense, rounded form that provides structure and texture in every season.

Edible, Wildlife-Attracting Fruit: The bright red, rough-textured fruits are edible, with a mild, sweet-tart flavor. While often described as mealy for fresh eating, they are excellent transformed into jams, jellies, syrups, and even alcoholic beverages (e.g., the Portuguese medronho brandy). They are also highly attractive to birds.

Exceptional Adaptability and Toughness: Native to the Mediterranean region, it thrives in a wide range of well-drained soils, including poor, rocky, and alkaline types. Once established, it is highly drought-tolerant and requires minimal irrigation. It is also notably resistant to fire, making it valuable in fire-prone landscapes.

Versatile Landscape Uses: Its moderate size, dense habit, and evergreen foliage make it exceptionally versatile. Use it as a screening hedge, windbreak, background plant, or a beautiful specimen tree. It works well in coastal gardens, on dry slopes, and in naturalistic or wildlife-friendly plantings.

Knowing how we measure the size?

When browsing our plants, you may notice size terms such as Gallon, Multi, or Stand. These describe how a plant is grown, containerized, or structured at the time of sale — not just its height. Understanding these terms will help you choose the right plant for your space and expectations.

🌱 Gallon Size (Container Size)

Gallon refers to the size of the nursery container the plant is currently growing in (e.g. 1 Gallon, 5 Gallon, 15 Gallon).

A larger gallon size generally means:
- A more established root system
- A sturdier plant
- Faster visual impact after planting
Example:
- 5 Gallon: Ideal for residential gardens, easy to handle, good balance of value and maturity
- 15 Gallon: More mature, provides quicker results in the landscape

Note: Gallon size does not guarantee a specific height, as growth varies by species.

🌳 Multi (Multi-Trunk / Multi-Branch Form)

Multi indicates the plant has multiple trunks or main stems growing from the base.

Commonly used for:
- Ornamental trees
- Feature plants
- Japanese maples, olives, crepe myrtles, etc.
Why choose Multi:
- Fuller, more sculptural appearance
- Strong visual presence even at younger ages
- Popular for design-focused landscapes

🌲 Stand (Single-Trunk / Standard Form)

Stand (short for Standard) refers to a single, dominant trunk with a raised or naturally formed canopy.

Commonly used for:
- Shade trees
- Street trees
- Orchard and structural plantings
Why choose Stand:
- Clean, classic tree form
- Easier clearance for walkways and lawns
- Preferred for long-term structure and uniformity

🌿 Choosing the Right Size

If you want instant impact → larger Gallon, Multi form
If you want long-term structure → Stand form
If you want flexibility and value → mid-size Gallon containers

If you’re unsure which size or form fits your project, our team is happy to help you select the best option based on your space, timeline, and design goals.

Foliage & Flowers: Elliptical, glossy, leathery, dark green leaves; small, urn-shaped, pinkish-white flowers in drooping terminal clusters bloom in late fall to winter
Fruit: Round, rough-surfaced berry (approx. ¾-1 inch), ripens from yellow to bright orange-red over 12 months; contains numerous tiny seeds; edible but mealy, best processed
Mature Height: 20-30 ft
Mature Spread: 20-30 ft
Growth Rate: Slow
Hardiness Zones: USDA 7-9; Sunset 4-24
Light Requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Key Benefits: Unique year-round interest (flowers and fruit simultaneously), drought tolerant, attractive peeling red bark, fire-resistant, wildlife friendly, adaptable to various soils
Best Uses: Specimen tree, screening, background planting, woodland gardens, coastal gardens, slopes, wildlife gardens, fire-wise landscapes

Q: Are the fruits really edible? Do they taste like strawberries?
A: Yes, the fruits are edible. However, the flavor is not a close match to strawberries. The taste is often described as mildly sweet, slightly tart, and bland, with a mealy, fig-like texture. They are much better suited for processing into jams, jellies, syrups, and traditional alcoholic beverages(like the Portuguese medronho) than for fresh eating. Be aware that eating large quantities of fresh fruit may cause mild digestive discomfort for some individuals.

Q: How long does it take for the fruit to ripen?
A: The fruit has an unusually long ripening period of about 12 months. The small, yellow-green fruits that form after flowering take a full year to develop, enlarging and gradually turning orange and finally to their characteristic bright strawberry-red the following autumn/winter. This is why you often see both flowers and mature fruit on the tree at the same time.

Q: Is it truly fire-resistant?
A: Yes, it is considered a good fire-resistant plant. Its thick, leathery, evergreen leaves have high moisture content and do not ignite easily. The peeling bark also helps the tree shed embers. This makes it a valuable component of defensible space landscaping in fire-prone regions (USDA zones 7-9). It should still be planted away from structures as part of a comprehensive fire safety plan.

Q: How fast does it grow and how big will it get?
A: It is a slow-growing tree, particularly in its early years, typically adding 6-12 inches per year. At maturity, it reaches 20-30 feet in both height and spread. Its slow growth and manageable ultimate size make it suitable for smaller gardens where a larger tree would overwhelm the space. It can also be maintained as a large, multi-stemmed shrub with pruning.

Q: Why are the leaves on my Strawberry Tree turning yellow?
A: Yellowing leaves (chlorosis) are most often caused by poor drainage or overwatering, which this Mediterranean native cannot tolerate. Ensure the soil drains sharply and allow it to dry out between waterings. Chlorosis can also occur in highly alkaline soils due to iron deficiency, but this is less common. Adjust watering first; if symptoms persist, consider a soil test.