Associate the strawberry tree

To dress a wall

The strawberry tree Arbutus unedo ‘Roselily’, a Mediterranean plant, requires warmth even though it withstands temperatures of -12 to -15 °C. Its evergreen, glossy foliage elegantly adorns a wall facing south or west. Its compact habit and its delicate pink bell-shaped flowers along with its bark that peels over time will add an extra splash of colour. Plant at its base the Viburnum odoratissimum ‘Coppertop’ for a lovely contrast with its shiny bronze-red foliage as well as its fragrant flowering. Pair it with the Corsican heather Erica terminalis whose pale pink flowers will dry to a coppery orange that lasts for two to three months. A reminder of the dominant fuchsia pink hue for this beautiful scene will be provided by the Ampelopsis brevipedunculata ‘Elegans’, an original variegated Virginia creeper, whose beautifully cut vine leaves are marbled with pink and then speckled with white.

The porcelain pink bells of the ‘Rose Lily’ Strawberry Tree harmonise with the generous pink flowering of the Corsican Heather in the centre. On the left, the variegated foliage of the Ampelopsis ‘Elegans’ vine becomes more colourful in autumn, accompanying the orange-red berries of the Strawberry Tree against the bronze foliage of the ‘Coppertop’ Viburnum (above)

In an exotic garden

The Arbutus unedo ‘Atlantic’ adds a touch of exoticism with its bell-shaped white flowers on beautiful glossy green leaves. A compact bush for small spaces, the presence of the foliage of Grevillea rosmarinifolia ‘Rosa jenkinsis’ and Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Pointe du Raz’ bring light and softness in shades of grey-green. Their softly coloured flowers contrast with the orange touch of the fruits of the strawberry tree. Also opt for the dwarf pomegranate which adorns itself in autumn with red-orange fruits. Add a contrasting note with the Euphorbia characias ‘Glacier blue’: its large yellow-green flower spikes will bring verticality, just like its ornamental grey-blue evergreen foliage variegated with white.

The fruits of the ‘Atlantic’ strawberry tree pair perfectly with those of the dwarf pomegranate through their Mediterranean origins. A beautiful harmony of graphic textures from the Grevillea with soft pink flowers and the creeping rosemary with green needles striated with white, in harmony with the euphorbia characias ‘Glacier blue’

In a free and wild hedge

The strawberry tree Arbutus unedo ‘Rubra’, of modest size (2.5 m in height) with compact and dense foliage is an ideal subject for a hedge. Its pendulous pale pink flowers, measuring 7 mm in diameter and resembling lily of the valley bells, appear from late summer to winter. A year after flowering, they give way to small yellow, then red balls measuring 3 cm in diameter, edible but with a rough texture and little flavour. Its evergreen foliage, dark green and glossy, provides an ideal backdrop for the spectacular white flowering of a serviceberry such as Amelanchier ‘Smoky’ or alder-leaved serviceberry. This American fruit bush also offers beautiful autumn colours. Also consider the ‘October Flame’ Canadian serviceberry for its bronze-red foliage in autumn.

The Rosa arvensis or field rose, which is charming in summer, produces lovely white dog roses that are pleasantly fragrant. Its red fruit adds to the colourful fruits of the strawberry tree. In this rustic setting, the Aster rugulosus ‘Asrugo’ sows a myriad of small daisies in shades of pink and white, from August to October.

The strawberry tree with pink flowers in a dense and evergreen hedge beneath the flowering crown of the serviceberry ‘Gold Flame’ above, with at its base the wild-looking flowers of the field rose Rosa arvensis and then Aster rugulosus ‘Asrugo’ in the bottom right. To the left at the bottom, the edible fruits of the serviceberry ‘Smoky’

In a sunny border

The dense and evergreen foliage of the Strawberry tree is a major asset for creating a border for any sunny situation on well-drained soil, even in poor terrain and coastal areas. This small tree of Mediterranean origin is hardy enough to be grown quite far from its native region. In autumn, you will appreciate its pink-tinged white bells that mingle with its red fruits. Its beautiful dark, glossy foliage and brown bark highlight the lovely Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Dart’s Gold’ with its bright yellow finely cut foliage, reminiscent of that of a viburnum. It is later adorned with white flowering in corymbs.

The Rosa chinensis mutabilis displays a dark green evergreen foliage that enhances the bronze-purple young shoots and its flowering that renews in successive waves of single flowers whose hue changes throughout the hours. This succession of colours creates a delightful gradient of yellow, orange, and pink in perfect harmony with the strawberry tree, highlighted by the tall flowering spikes of the Crocosmia (x) crocosmiiflora ‘Emberglow’. They will indeed be covered in summer with an abundant burnt orange to red flowering, with more red buds.

The strawberry tree is generous in the sun just like the botanical rose ‘Mutabilis’ above. In contrast and with softness, the golden-leaved Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Dart’s Gold’ brightens the border in spring, while in summer the large vibrant flowers of the Crocosmia announce the winter spectacle of the strawberry tree.

Isolated subject

The Cyprus strawberry tree, Arbutus andrachne is a very ornamental small evergreen tree with its twisted habit and its surprising smooth, shiny, orange-red bark. It stands out on its own, as its beautifully glossy foliage highlights its spring flowering, not autumnal, with white bell-shaped flowers, as well as its edible fruits reminiscent of strawberries.

In the shade of the large strawberry tree, place aPhotinia fraseri ‘Pink Marble’ with its also evergreen foliage, bright red to burgundy and then bronze and finally bright green. The pale mauve of the flowering of Buddleia alternifolia will balance the whole, just as its beautiful silvery foliage will not steal the show.

The bright colours of the Cyprus strawberry tree Arbutus andrachne and its colourful bark alongside the foliage of the Photinia are softened by the bluish mauve of the Buddleia alternifolia

On a a terrace or a balcony

The strawberry tree Arbutus unedo ‘Compacta’ is ideal for decorating your balcony or terrace for long months, provided you give it a large pot with sufficiently draining substrate to avoid stagnant moisture, which it cannot tolerate. Very floriferous and fruit-bearing in autumn, its flowering of white bells accompanied by its orange fruits makes it interesting at a time when flowering is scarce. This dwarf variety, not exceeding 2 m, does not require pruning.

Place it in the company of the Lagerstroemia indica ‘Terrasse Rose’, a small crape myrtle with a compact habit. It is the plant in total harmony with your strawberry tree thanks to its beautiful glossy green foliage and its fuchsia pink flowering highlighted by its orange-yellow stamens. The old-world charm of the garnet red flowering of the Achillea millefolium ‘Pomegranate’ and its spicy fragrance complements the ensemble.

Compact and very floriferous, the ‘Compacta’ strawberry tree will be accompanied by the ‘Terrasse Rose’ crape myrtle with bicolour fuchsia flowers and a yellow centre, in harmony with the large crimson umbels of the ‘Pomegranate’ yarrow.