Arbutus unedo Compacta - Strawberry tree

Arbutus unedo 'Compacta' is a compact variety of bush, more branching, flowering and fruiting than the typical type. This robust and sturdy bush is interesting for its long autumn and winter flowering in clusters of white bells. They bloom abundantly, accompanying from a young age round fruits, yellow then red and textured like strawberries, ripening one year after flowering. The flowers and fruits beautifully colour an evergreen bush dressed in particularly abundant foliage. The strawberry tree is hardy down to -12°C (10.4F). It grows in full sun as well as partial shade, and proves to be undemanding if planted in well-draining soil.

Common in gardens in the southern half of France and the Atlantic coast, the strawberry tree slowly but surely forms a large compact bush. The variety 'Compacta', selected in Ireland, is a dwarf version of this species. Arbutus unedo, native to southern Europe, belongs to the large family of ericaceae, the heathers and rhododendrons. The more branched cultivar with shorter internodes reaches about 2.5m (8ft) in height and 1.5m (4.9ft) in width in open ground. The very dense foliage almost conceals the branches of this bush. The evergreen leaves, 6 to 9cm (3.5in) long, are slightly toothed on the edges, dark green, shiny on the top. The young twigs are red and the trunk is adorned with a cinnamon-brown bark that peels off in fine, long strips. The flowers are honey-scented, white to pink, 7mm (0.3 in) in diameter and similar to lily of the valley bells and appear from late summer to winter. One year after flowering, they give way to small yellow balls, turning orange and then red, resembling strawberries, 3cm (1.2in) in diameter. This perfectly edible fruit does not have a strong flavour and has a rough texture. Unedo actually comes from Latin unum edo, which can be translated as "I eat only one".

The Arbutus unedo grows naturally in well-drained soil, generally rather acidic, siliceous, and even stony, but it is also found in the hills of Languedoc, on limestone or dolomitic subsoil, growing among evergreen oaks, pines and wild olive trees. This bush acclimatizes easily in the garden, in ordinary soil (even slightly chalky), provided that the drainage is perfect. The 'Compacta' variety, bushy and with abundant flowering, expands the genus and allows this southern bush to enter the terraces and balconies of the northern half of our country. It is valuable for forming the main structure of a small natural hedge and makes an unusual subject when placed in isolation. Not suceptible to pests and diseases, its only weakness is a borderline hardiness that reserves it, in open ground, for light soils and not too harsh winters.

It is also a medicinal plant, used to treat hypertension.