Description

Strawberry Madrone (Arbutus unedo) is a small-to-medium multi-trunk tree that matures at 35’ tall and 35’ wide. It has reddish-brown bark and deep green foliage. It is a great low-maintenance tree when given the space to reach maturity. This tree is appropriate in almost any garden setting with full sun and well-drained soil. It is drought-tolerant and is very attractive to wildlife, especially bees and birds. It has clusters of small, white or greenish-white, urn-shaped flowers and small, red and yellow fruit with a strawberry-like texture from which the common name is derived. This species does not have a fast-growth habit, but it does take on a dense shrub form if it is not thinned out. In the first few years, it can easily be pruned using the thinning method to cut out cross branches and other branches that are heading off in an undesirable direction. Once the plant has reached 10' tall, a licensed arborist should perform the pruning and maintenance. This tree should be planted at least three feet away from any hardscape areas, five feet from structures such as houses and buildings, and not near any powerlines. Shrubs and perennials should be planted about two feet away from this tree. It should be irrigated for about 45 minutes once a week when using most in-line drip irrigation systems.