Common Name: hybrid strawberry tree
Type: Broadleaf evergreen
Family: Ericaceae
Native Range: Greece, Turkey
Zone: 7 to 10
Height: 15.00 to 25.00 feet
Spread: 15.00 to 25.00 feet
Bloom Time: Seasonal bloomer
Bloom Description: White to pale pink
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Flowering Tree
Flower: Showy
Leaf: Evergreen
Fruit: Showy, Edible
Other: Winter Interest
Culture
Best grown in evenly moist, rich, lightly textured, well-draining soil in full sun. Will tolerate some light shade. Adaptable to a variety of soil conditions as long as proper drainage is provided. Hardy in Zones 8-10. May be grown in Zone 7 in a protected location. Cold tolerance increases as this plant matures.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Arbutus × andrachnoides, commonly called hybrid strawberry tree, is a naturally occurring interspecific hybrid resulting from the cross between A. unedo and A. andrachne. Hybrid strawberry tree can be found growing in the wild on the Greek isles and western coast of Turkey where the ranges of these two species overlap. Individuals will reach up to 25' tall with a dense crown of about equal spread. The leaves (up to 4" long) are evergreen, glossy, deep green in color, and ovate in shape with a distinctive upward fold or keel. The white to light pink blooms are small, urn-shaped, and are held on pendulous panicles. Flowering is somewhat sporadic and can occur anytime between spring and fall. The flowers are occasionally followed by round, bright red fruits. Hybrid strawberry tree does not set fruit as reliably or heavily as the species, but the fruits are edible and share a similar taste and texture to those of A. unedo. The chestnut-brown bark is extremely showy, peeling away in strips to reveal glossy, copper-red inner bark.
Genus name comes from the Latin name for this plant.
The specific epithet andrachnoides refers to the similarities in appearance between the hybrid and Arbutus andrachne. "Andrachne" is the ancient Greek name for strawberry tree.
The common name strawberry tree refers to the appearance of the fruits.
Problems
Susceptible to arbutus leaf spot fungus. Although mostly a cosmetic concern, a large infestation may cause leaf drop. Some consider this tree to be quite messy, with the flowers, fruits, and bark all falling throughout the year.
Uses
Suitable as a specimen or accent piece in mixed borders or lawns.