The Arbutus tree will surely be an eye-catcher if you want a tree that bears delicate yet fragrant flowers with bright-colored fruits. There are two varieties, both having the name strawberry trees, the Arbutus marina, and Arbutus unedo.
The care for these trees is similar, but today we will focus on the Marina strawberry tree.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
The Marina strawberry tree easily grows into a handsome evergreen tree, capable of reaching 24-40 ft. tall and 20-25 ft. wide. It has rich dark green 3-4 in. long leaves, with lightly toothed margins. Pendulous clusters of attractive pink to rose colored flowers occur in spring and summer; showy reddish orange strawberry-like fruit mature in fall.
This tree is of unknown parentage and was discovered in San Francisco in 1984. It’s combination of foliage, flower, bark and fruit character became quickly recognized and appreciated. In a very few years it has become one of the most popular choices for landscape and garden uses throughout California’s coastal, inland and valley communities, including the Inland Empire. It grows best in our drier and warmer conditions of southern California in well-drained soils with regular moisture throughout the year. It is grown in nurseries with a single trunk or with a low branching habit to make it well suited for yards, patios and in raised planters.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
The flowers grow with enough sunlight, and it’s best to provide your strawberry tree with full sun and partial shade. The crucial thing when planted is for the tree to receive six hours of direct sunlight daily.
Temperature and Humidity
While the strawberry tree can thrive in warm temperatures to cold weather, it will become susceptible to problems in high-humidity regions. We recommend watering around the tree base instead of overhead watering.
Watering
For the first growing season, your strawberry tree needs regular watering to become established with a strong root system.
As the tree matures, it becomes more drought-tolerant. You can plant to water about one inch a week, equal to the plant’s number of inches in the trunk diameter.
During the summer months, you will water more depending on the rain and less in winter.
Soil
The strawberry tree does best in well-drained soil like sand, loamy, or clay soil with a higher acidic but slightly alkaline. Still, it can tolerate compacted soil and is drought-tolerant once established. But having good drainage is better as it helps prevent damage to the root system leading to root rot.
Fertilizing
Add three inches of organic mulch around the tree’s base in summer and winter to protect the roots. The mulch keeps the tree roots moist in the heat and protects them from frost in the colder months. In addition, it works as an organic slow-release fertilizer ideal for these trees.
Pruning
You need not prune the strawberry tree unless the new growth grows incorrectly. Then, you can prune the dying, diseased, dead branches. The best time to prune is in late winter or early spring.
Nevertheless, you can prune your tree from a young age to form a single trunk.
Propagation
To propagate the strawberry tree, you can use cuttings to grow into seedlings to plant outdoors. Yet, using this method does take patience.
Yet, using layering works best, and the best time to take cuttings is in early spring and using rooting hormone. Keep the cutting in bright indirect light until you can plant them outside.
Another alternative is to grow the seeds when harvested and place them in stratification to germinate.
Potting and Overwintering
In the genus Arbutus you can find two dwarf species to grow in containers. These are the Compacta and Oktoberfest. You can grow them in the direct sun away from winds.
The crucial thing is to choose well-drained soil to place in a pot about 14 inches deep and 24 inches wide. We recommend placing the pot on casters and ensuring it has enough drainage holes.
For younger trees, you must provide some burlap covering for the foliage, flowers, and berries in winter.
Mulching
A layer of organic mulch around the base of the tree can help retain moisture and suppress weeds. Avoid placing the mulch directly against the trunk, as this can promote fungal growth.
Pests and Diseases
The strawberry tree gets affected by different pests and diseases. Some concerns are root rot, leaf spots, leaf galls, anthracnose, sudden oak death, twig dieback, and Phytophthora. Pests on your tree are scale, thrips, leafminers, aphids, borers, and caterpillars.
III. Uses and Benefits
It is a single-trunk tree with a low branching habit when bought from nurseries. Hence, you can grow them in the yard, raised planters, or in containers on the patio.
