Strawberry tree

Arbutus unedo

Layer 2 · Understorey
Edible companion

Status by region

No restrictions recorded in the lists we checked.

Checked against the European Union list (Regulation 1143/2014) · Portugal's national invasive species list (Decreto-Lei 92/2019).

Information based on the cited sources, not legal advice — always confirm your local rules.

About

Native to the Mediterranean basin and western Europe, the strawberry tree is an evergreen shrub or small tree highly resistant to drought. In a food forest, it plays the role of understorey or windbreak hedge, offering fruit in autumn and an important source of late nectar for bees.

See the guild for a strawberry tree on your land

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Needs

Water: Low
Light: Full sun
Size: Small tree up to 4 m
Mature diameter: 3 m
Soils: Clay, Loam, Sandy, Limestone
Climates: Atlantic coast, Hot, dry Mediterranean

Calendar

January — Planting
February — Planting
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October — Harvest — Planting
November — Harvest — Planting
December — Harvest — Planting

Harvest
Planting

Medicinal use: The leaves have astringent and urinary antiseptic properties.

Where to buy

May grow well with

Suggestions worked out from growing conditions — same soil and climate, complementary layers and functions. These are not observed guilds; treat them as a starting point to try on your own land.