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Arbutus
An evergreen tree or shrub originating in Ireland and in countries bordering the Mediterranean, which can reach 9-10 meters in height, but which more commonly remains around 4-5 meters in size. It has gray-brown bark, which is peeled; the leaves are oblong-lanceolate, toothed, dark green and shiny, similar to those of the oleander. At the end of summer it produces innumerable small white flowers, in some varieties suffused with red or green, in the shape of a bell; in the same period the fruits ripen, which therefore take almost a whole year to mature, the particularity of the arbutus consists in the fact that on the same plant you can find ripe fruits and flowers at the same time. The fruits are roundish, yellow-red, sweet, with slightly rough bark, when ripe they tend to fall from the tree.
The botanical name of the arbutus and Arbutus unedo L. It is a small evergreen tree that reaches a maximum height of ten meters. Some varieties are even smaller. The plant, belonging to the Ericaceae family, is native to the Mediterranean basin, Ireland, Asia and the Americas. The bark of the tree is reddish and tends to darken with advancing age.
THE CORBEZZOLO IN BRIEFFamily, genus and species Ericaceae, gen. Arbustus with about 12 speciesdimensions In cultivation up to 5 meters; dwarf cultivars even only 2 metersCommon names Strawberry tree, albaster, sea cherry,Origins Basin of the Mediterranean, Mexico and South of the U.S.A.Type of plant Medium-sized tree, it can be grown as a shrubFlowers In bunches, white or pinkleaves Shiny, dark green, persistentRusticitа Medium rustic (there are very resistant cultivars); fears cold winds;Exposure Sun; even partial shade and shade (in the South and on the coasts)Ground Preferably neutral or subacid, possibly siliceous or volcanic. Excellent drainageIrrigation Autonomous after the first yearPurposes Garden ornament, hedge, large vasewatering
It does not need large amounts of water, it certainly prefers drought to excess watering; it is usually watered only in particularly dry years. It is advisable to bury a good organic fertilizer at the foot of the plant in spring, to favor its optimal development.
It is a tree with very limited needs. Once established it will be almost autonomous. Our contribution can be useful during the first vintage by engaging, in the absence of rain, in frequent watering. They will be gradually reduced because the root system reaches the maximum depth that characterizes it.
In the North, exclusively in the early years, it may be useful to protect the foliage with special fabric.
Plant characteristics
The strawberry tree is a medium-sized tree: in its spontaneous state it can even reach 15 meters in height while in cultivation it rarely exceeds 5 meters. The root system is particularly developed: it can even reach a depth of 15 meters. This makes it resistant to flames and drought, but also very difficult to eradicate or transplant elsewhere. Its bearing is expanded and is characterized by the presence of multiple trunks with an extremely ornamental appearance.
Their course is curvilinear and tortuous and the bark is very particular: very scaly and fibrous with shades ranging from gray to orange. The foliage is very dense and made attractive by the large mass of glossy leaves, dark green and lighter back. Its appearance is further enhanced by the coloring of the young secondary branches: a reddish that creates an attractive contrast with leaves and main trunks.
The flowers, pink or white, are produced in autumn (usually from mid-September onwards): they are bell-shaped (similar to those of heather) and are harvested in beautiful hanging bunches, perfumed and particularly appreciated by pollinating insects.
The particularity of this tree is however linked to the fact that the adult specimens, in autumn, manage to bloom and at the same time bring the fruits produced in the vintage to maturity. They are similar in shape and size to cherries, but covered with a hard skin and equipped with numerous tips. They are edible and are used above all for the production of juices and jams.
THE CORBEZZOLO CALENDAR | |
plant | October-November (South and coasts); April (North) |
| Flowering | October to January |
| Collection | October December |
| Pruning | August September |
Land, temperature and exposure
The strawberry tree prefers poor, rocky, certainly well-drained soils. In the garden it is advisable to favor drainage by placing coarse material at the bottom of the hole where we want to bury the plant, for this purpose we can use perlite or pumice stone, possibly not too fine.
The ideal soil for the arbutus must be deep, well drained and possibly acidic, with acid reaction. In Italy the preferred areas are coastal or volcanic areas. However, it can also be grown in calcareous soils as long as they are not clayey and compact: its root system, in fact, particularly fears water stagnation and, once franked, much prefers drought to excessive humidity.
For the cultivation in large pots we choose a compote for citrus fruits, to which we can add, to lighten it, a bit of pozzolana or pumice stone.
To promote drainage, it is advisable to insert pumice or coarse perlite in the ground. The ideal temperature for this plant is mild, warm and typically Mediterranean. The young strawberry tree fears cold and freezing winds. Arbutus unedo also loves sunny exposures but can withstand even semi-shaded ones as long as there are no low or freezing temperatures and cold, dry winds.
The young plant, in particular, fears very cold temperatures and cold winds, for this reason, in the first two years of planting it should be grown in a greenhouse. No problem, instead, if the plant is exposed to damp winds coming from the sea.
Multiplication
At the end of winter we can sow the seeds of arbutus in a mixture of peat and sand in equal parts, which must be kept moist, in a luminous and protected place, until spring, when the new seedlings begin to grow. The little ones arbutus they are quite delicate, so it is advisable to avoid exposing them to full sun or strong winds. Before planting new plants it is advisable to keep them in a greenhouse for at least two years. The multiplication can also take place by cuttings, to be practiced in winter, also in this case the rooted cuttings, usually about 30% of the buried cuttings, must be kept in a protected place for 1-2 years before being planted.
Parasites and diseases of the strawberry tree
This plant does not fear pests or diseases, although sometimes black aphids can cause some damage.
The strawberry tree tends to get sick more frequently in areas where the climate is not exactly the ideal one, such as areas with a continental climate, such as the cities of Northern Italy. More than the climate is however the wrong exposure that does more damage to the plant.
When the arbutus is planted in areas with little light it suffers, as it is already said a heliophilous plant (which loves the sun) and from the Mediterranean climate.
In the strawberry trees planted in areas of the garden with little light, the attacks of aphids and the consequent fumaggini, black mushrooms that cover the leaves on which falls the honeydew produced by the aphids, are more frequent.
The strawberry trees planted in the wrong positions are even more difficult to bear fruit than the other arbutus but above all they grow more in height because as a reaction in the shade, they try to push themselves upwards towards the light.
Leaves, flowers and fruits
The arbutus unedo, that is the arbutus, has oval leaves, with toothed margins and an intense green color. The flowers are formed by about twenty groups of specimens composed of a closed corolla in whose apical part only the upper tips of the petals emerge. This inflorescence, called "urceolata", is typical of many plants belonging to the ericaceae. In the strawberry tree, the flower corolla shows only five tips called "teeth".
In this plant, the flowers have a color ranging from white to pink. The inflorescences are hermaphrodite, that is to say, they contain both male (stamens) and female (ovary) organs. The abusus unedo flowers from September to March. The fruits are round berries with a globular surface and dark pulp containing seeds. The color of these berries is first green, then yellow and finally reddish or orange. The fruits, which form the previous year, ripen from September to March and precisely during the development of the flowers. In the strawberry tree, in fact, flowers and fruits appear at the same time.
Fertilizer and irrigation
Arbutus unedo should be fertilized with complex NPK fertilizers, ie nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium based fertilizers or organic fertilizers to be planted at the foot of the plant. Fertilization prepares the plant to withstand the rigors of winter. As for watering, the strawberry tree does not need too much water. In hot weather it is necessary to intervene every ten or fifteen days. Irrigation should be suspended in case of rainy season.
Repotting and pruning
The arbutus unedo or corbezzolo must be repotted in spring in the same soil used for the first planting. After three or four years, the plant is buried in the open field. This new plantation serves to strengthen the root system. The strawberry tree does not need pruning. The only interventions concern the elimination of dry and damaged parts and out of place branches.
Arbutus is extremely tolerant of pruning: it can therefore be left to grow with its natural habit, but also systematically cut to create beautiful border hedges.
It can be useful to eliminate the branches at the base to highlight the beautiful color of the bark and the knotty shape of the trunks. Sapling growth is also an excellent alternative, choosing, even at a young age, a single central stem, the most straight, to be preserved, eliminating the others.
Propagation and diseases
The strawberry tree propagates by seed and by cuttings. The seeds are buried in spring, in a mixture of sand and peat in equal parts, while the semi-woody cuttings are taken in summer. Woody cuttings, on the other hand, can also be propagated in winter. The seedlings born from the remains of the mother plant must be kept indoors or in a greenhouse for the first two years. Afterwards, they can normally be put to stay.
The strawberry tree is a plant very resistant to diseases. In some cases there may be attacks of black aphids or other adversities caused by unsuitable soil and excess humidity. An excessively acid soil can cause iron chlorosis, while a poorly drained and moist soil can give rise to root rot.
The propagation of the strawberry tree can be done either by seed (which requires winter stratification in order to germinate), or by layering. The latter is carried out at the beginning of the summer on branches of about 2 cm in diameter. For the emission of the roots it may be necessary to wait two years.
Property and meaning
The strawberry tree has beneficial medicinal properties. It is in fact an antiseptic, astringent and diuretic plant. Furthermore, the fruits are very rich in sugars and vitamin C. They should therefore be avoided in the case of diabetes. In the language of plants and flowers the strawberry tree represents esteem. Its botanical name, arbutus unedo, was attributed by Pliny the Elder, who used this term in reference to the lack of taste of the fruits. In fact, the name means "I only eat one". The poet Virgil, in the Aeneid, tells that the relatives of the dead used to put arbutus branches on the graves.
| FIRST NAME | DIMENSIONS | FLOWERS | FRUITS | OTHER CHARACTERISTICS |
Arbutus Unedo | Up to 5 m high and 4 wide | Bianchi, from September to January | Orange, then red, 2 cm in diameter | It needs at least 8 years to bear fruit. Very rustic, if sheltered from the winds |
Arbutus Unedo 'Compacta' | Up to 3 meters in height and width | Bianchi, from September to January | Orange, then red, 2 cm in diameter | It flowers and bears fruit from the early years. |
Arbutus Unedo 'Rubra' | Up to 2 meters in all directions | Rosa, from September to January. | Very rustic and drought resistant | |
Arbutus Unedo 'Atlantic' | Up to 2 meters in all directions | Bianchi, from September to January | Reds, up to 4 cm in diameter | It also grows well in pots |
Arbutus Unedo "Elfin King" | Nanissimo, at most 1.5 meters | Bianchi, from September to January | Red, medium-sized | Suitable for pot and low hedges |
Arbutus andrachne | Up to 12 m in height | Bianchi a mazzetti, at the beginning of spring | In autumn, dark red, about 1.5 cm in diameter | Beautiful shiny leaves with a smooth edge. Reddish old bark that flakes off, new green bark. Very rustic and very resistant to drought |
Arbutus x andrachnoides | Up to 9 meters high | Bianchi, in November | Reddish, very rustic bark. Hybrid. | |
Arbutus menziesii | In cultivation up to 10 meters | Whites collected in large bunches in mid-spring | Small, smooth, bright red fruits | Notched leaves with very clear back. Very ornamental orange bark. Withstands up to -10 ° C, suitable for wet areas |
