Arbutus unedo Roselily - Strawberry Tree

Arbutus unedo Roselily is a recent variety of strawberry tree, resulting from Minier's research, interesting for its moderate growth, dense habit and long autumn and winter flowering in clusters of small pale pink-tinged cream bells. They bloom abundantly, accompanying from a young age round, yellow then red and granulose fruits like strawberries, ripening one year after flowering. The whole colours beautifully an evergreen bush dressed in dark and glossy foliage. The strawberry tree is sober and frugal and hardy up to -15°C (5 °F). It grows in full sun to partial shade, and proves 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 Roselily variety, obtained in 2007, belongs like its native ancestor from southern Europe to the large family of Ericaceae, that of heathers and rhododendrons. This variety shows less significant development, reaching about 2.50m (8ft 2in) in height and 2m (6ft 7in) in width, up to 3m (9ft 10in) in the ground. The evergreen leaves, elliptical, 6 to 9cm (2.4 to 3.5in) long, are slightly toothed on the edges, dark green, shiny on the upper side. The young branches are red and the trunk is adorned with a reddish-brown bark that peels off in fine, long strips. The honey-scented flowers, pale pink, 7mm (0.3in) in diameter and similar to lily of the valley bells, appear from late summer to winter. One year after flowering, they give way to small yellow, then red balls, similar to strawberries, 3cm (1.2in) in diameter, edible but with a rough texture and without much flavour. 'Unedo' actually comes from the Latin unum edo, which can be translated as "I eat only one".

Arbutus unedo, hardy up to -15°C (5 °F), grows in nature in well-drained soil, generally rather acidic, siliceous, even stony, but it can also be found in the hills of Languedoc, on limestone or dolomitic subsoil, growing among green oaks, pines and wild olive trees. In the west of our country, it is spontaneous along the Landes coast, on sandy soils, from Bordeaux in the south to the Nantes coastal areas. This shrub therefore easily acclimates to the garden, in ordinary soil (even slightly calcareous), provided that the drainage is perfect. The Roselily variety, original and compact, renews the genus and allows this southern shrub to enter the terraces and balconies of the northern half of our country. It is valuable for creating the persistent structure of a small free hedge, and forms an unusual subject when placed in isolation. Disdained by pests and diseases, its only weakness is a relative hardiness that reserves it, in the ground, for light soils and not too harsh winters.

It is also a medicinal plant, used against hypertension.