Scientific name
Common name
Family
Origin
Mediterranean
Year planted
Beginnings of the garden, before 1930
Flowering
October – December
Description
It is a shrub, but it has the shape of a tree: it can grow up to 10 metres. It is very leafy, and its leaves are evergreen, dark green, hard and serrated on the edges. It has small, white or pink-spotted flowers.
They are borne on the branches in clusters of a few flowers, and bees use them to make honey. The fruits are green berries. When ripe they turn red with orange flesh.
Marimurtra’s specimens
It is 7 metres high and is probably a wild specimen that grew at the beginnings of the garden.
It is located next to the pond in the Mediterranean garden. Behind it there is another strawberry tree, but it has pink flowers.
Did you know that…?
Its fruit is used to make jam. Its Latin name is Arbutus unedo . The word unedo warns us that we can only eat one fruit, because they have a lot of sugar. In the summer sun, these sugars can ferment and turn into alcohol.
If you eat too many you can get a stomach ache, a headache and a certain state of drunkenness. It is a plant that forms part of the coats of arms and names of towns and cities in our territory. For example, the village of L’Arboç in Vendrell and Arbúcies in La Selva.
Threat level (UICN)
Main uses
Raunkiaer Life Forms
