November: A little tree for all Seasons

Fruits change colour as they age turning from yellow to orange to red.

The compact Strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo 'Compacta', is a shrubby little tree.

Flowers resemble upside down urns and are held in drooping clusters.

Flowers and fruit occur at the same time making for a stunning display.

Leaves are evergreen, leathery and serrated.

Pacific madrone, Arbutus menzeisii, is an indigenous plant native to Vancouver Island.

The Pacific madrone is found on rocky outcroppings.

Common Name: Strawberry Tree, Pacific Madrone
Botanical Name: Arbutus unedo
Form:   round
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Arbutus
Species: unedo
Plant Type:  broadleaf evergreen
Mature Size: 10-20 ft tall and wide
Growth: moderate
Origin:  Southern Europe, Mediterranean
Hardiness Zone: 7 to 9
Foliage: 4 inch long, deep green, simple, leathery, alternate, pinnate venation, serrated
Flowers: October to December, clusters of hanging fragrant, white bells with pink tinge
Fruit: ¾ inch green fruit matures to yellow then red, size and colour of strawberries when ripe
Stems: often multi-stemmed with reddish peeling bark on mature branches
Exposure: full sun best
Soil: prefers dry soils, good drainage essential, avoid rich, organic soils
Uses: specimen, accent, wildlife, woodland garden, shrub border, informal hedge, small gardens, courtyards, containers
Propagation:  softwood, semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings
Pruning: winter, rarely needed as it is a well-shaped, compact plant
​Problems: caterpillar, scales, whitefly, root rot prevalent in wet soils
Comments:  Known for its attractive bark, a nice round canopy that bears green, yellow and red strawberry-like fruit and all at the same time. Can be grown as a small tree or large shrub especially the dwarf varieties. Suitable for small urban gardens. Arbutus grown in containers are not as hardy as those in the ground especially so winter protection is required.

This drought tolerant, waterwise plant requires good drainage and is intolerant of soggy soil.  

Although the fruit is edible, it tastes bland, which explains its botanical name. It’s a combination of unum meaning ‘one’ and ‘edo’, which translates to “I eat one”. 
Cultivars: 

• A. unedo ‘Compacta’:  dwarf cultivar that grows from 6 to 8 ft. tall to 5 to 6 ft. wide in 10 years.
• The Pacific Madrone, A. menziesii: An indigenous plant native to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands and adjacent coastal mainland. Grows in rocky outcrops where soil is free-draining, shallow and nutrient-poor. Multiple trunks with twisting branches form close to the ground and often leans. Pacific madrones have the potential to grow 100ft (30 metres). It’s Canada’s only broadleaf evergreen tree and it is protected by the city of Victoria and Saanich, BC. Because of its soil requirements as well as being protected, it is not recommended nor commonly available for home gardens. A. unedo ‘Compacta’, is much more adaptable, is not a protected species, is commonly available and is recommended for home gardens. 

The wonderful peeling bark of the Pacific madrone.