Arbutus unedo Pink Giant - Strawberry Tree

The Pink Giant 'Nevez' Strawberry Tree, sometimes marketed as 'Atlantic rose', is a variety of Arbutus unedo with a compact habit and faster growth and fruiting, qualities that make it a good choice for small gardens and container cultivation. This small tree or large bush is adorned with decorative foliage even in winter. It produces pretty clusters of pink flowers in autumn, followed by round fruits that ripen the following autumn. These fruits gradually change colour from green to orange-yellow and then to red. Very decorative, they are edible but not very tasty and quite indigestible when consumed raw and in large quantities. Arbutus unedo is a good seaside and drought-tolerant plant that can withstand temperatures as low as -12/-15°C (10.4 - 5 °F). Plant in spring or autumn, harvest from September to November.

Strawberry trees belong to the family Ericaceae. The Pink Giant variety is a horticultural selection derived from Arbutus unedo Compacta, from which it inherited its compact habit, floriferousness, and productivity. Common in gardens in southern and Atlantic areas of Europe, the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) slowly but surely forms a large, compact bush. The 'Pink Giant' variety develops into a small tree with a single trunk and a very dense crown, reaching about 3m (10 ft) in height and 2m (6-7 ft) in width in open ground by the age of 10 years if not pruned. When grown in a container, its dimensions will be more modest. The evergreen leaves are elliptical, 6 to 9 cm (2.4 - 3.5 in) long, slightly dentate along the edges, dark green, and shiny on the upper side. The young branches are reddish and the trunk is covered with a reddish-brown bark that peels off in strips. The honey-scented flowers, pale pink in colour, about 7mm (0.3 in) in diameter and resembling lily-of-the-valley bells, appear from late summer to winter. One year after flowering, they give way to fruit in the form of yellow, then red, balls, about 3-4cm (1.2 - 1.6 in) in diameter, edible but with a rough texture and not much flavour. 'Unedo' actually comes from the Latin unum edo, which can be translated as "I eat only one". Thus, this shrub will bear both flowers and fruit simultaneously in autumn.

The strawberry-like fruits have a granular skin and yellow flesh containing numerous small seeds. They are harvested when they are red and tender to the touch. These fruits, with a slightly sweet and not very flavourful taste, are mainly consumed cooked, in jams, jellies, or liqueurs.

Arbutus unedo grows in well-drained soil, generally slightly acidic, siliceous, or even rocky, but it is also found on limestone substrates, growing among evergreen oaks, pines, and wild olives. This bush adapts easily to the garden in ordinary (even slightly chalky) soil, provided that the drainage is perfect. In the garden, the Strawberry Tree can be planted as a single specimen, in a hedge, or in a container. This variety is particularly well-suited for small spaces due to its compact habit. The bush can also be planted in a large container where it will live for several years.