How To Grow Strawberry Tree

 

The botanical name of  Strawberry tree is Arbutus unedo and is a shrub that bears delicate, fragrant flowers and brightly colored fruits that are not strawberries, but bland-tasting, round fruits. The oblong leaves are shiny and dark, two to four inches long. The Strawberry tree actually produces bell-shaped white or pink flowers that grow in clusters and mature along with the fruit in the fall. Tying all of this together is the attractive multicolored bark and twisting branches that make this a lovely ornamental tree and, when left as a shrub, can mature into a lush, dense dome shape. Plant new Strawberry trees in the fall and expect a slow to moderate growth rate for this shrub.

Strawberry Tree Info

The common name: The common names are Strawberry tree, Killarney strawberry tree, Irish strawberry tree, arbutus, cane apples, Dalmatian strawberry.

The botanical name: The botanical name is   Arbutus unedo.

The family: Strawberry plants belong to Ericaceae family.

The plant type: Strawberry tree is a shrub.

The size: Eight to twelve feet tall and wide.

The sun exposure: Strawberry plants prefer full, partial sun.

The soil type: Strawberry plant does well in sandy, clay, or loamy, well-draining soil.

The soil pH: Acidic, neutral, alkaline.

Blooming time:  The blooming time is fall, winter

The flower color: The flower colors are white, pink.

USDA Hardiness Zones: Seven to ten.

The native area: Strawberry tree is native to Europe, Mediterranean. 

Types of Strawberry Trees

A lot of cultivars of strawberry trees in the United States reach a mature size of eight to twelve feet tall and wide, though the species can become as tall as thirty-five feet in the right conditions. Its canopy forms a domed or rounded shape.

-         Elfin King Strawberry: If you don't want to deal with picking up lots of fallen fruit you can choose the dwarf 'Elfin King' cultivar. The trade-off, of course, is that the dwarf 'Elfin King' cultivar produces less of the showy fruits.

-         'Rubra' strawberry: The 'Rubra' strawberry cultivar produces deep pink flowers.

-         'Compacta' strawberry: The 'Compacta' strawberry is a dwarf strawberry tree that is popular because it only grows about eight to twelve feet high.

-         'Oktoberfest' strawberry: 'Oktoberfest' strawberry is another dwarf strawberry tree that is an ideal container plant.

How to Plant Strawberry tree

When to plant Strawberry

The strawberry plant is not very finicky, so you just have to choose a time to plant the tree when there's no threat of frost. Plant the strawberry tree in the early fall before the first frost or in the spring after the threat of frost has passed.

Selecting a planting site

Make sure you choose a sunny and well-drained area in loamy, sandy, or clay soil that is acidic to slightly alkaline. The Strawberry tree can actually tolerate a site with some shade. Once the strawberry tree is established, the tree can tolerate drought and some wind, but it will not withstand severe conditions, most especially when it is young. A strawberry tree can do well despite the presence of salt runoff or salt spray. The strawberry tree can also thrive when it is planted in urban areas and along streets and highways.

Spacing, Depth, and Support

If you plan to plant numerous trees or create a hedge with the strawberry tree, plant them twenty to thirty-five feet apart because the Arbutus unedo is considered to be small to medium in size depending on the cultivar you select. The younger Strawberry trees may need a stake for support until they become more mature and hardy.

Strawberry Tree Plant Care

 The following are the main care requirements for growing a strawberry tree:

- You need to choose a planting site with six hours of full sun a day, though some shade is tolerated.

- Plant the Strawberry tree in acidic soil.

- Once the plant is established, water one inch each week equal to the number of inches in the trunk's diameter.

- Mulch the plant in spring and fall to protect the Strawberry tree from extreme weather and also feed its roots.

Light requirement

The strawberry plant actually appreciates more sun than shade. The Strawberry tree will thrive if it has six hours of full, direct sun a day.

Soil requirement

Like other ericaceous plants, the Strawberry tree does best in acidic soil. The Strawberry tree can also tolerate a neutral pH. You can actually make your soil more acidic as needed.

Water requirement

It is very important to water the Strawberry plant regularly for the first year so that the tree can form strong roots. The strawberry plant is known to become more drought-resistant as it matures, and the plant can even grow in salty areas. You can plan on one inch of water each week to equal the number of inches in the trunk's diameter.

Temperature and humidity requirement

The Strawberry trees are hardy in zones seven and above and most humidity levels. However, the Strawberry tree will not thrive in excessively humid areas.

Fertilizer requirement

Add about three inches of organic mulch around the base of the Strawberry tree in the summer to protect the plant from scorching sunlight and in the winter to protect it from frost. This will also serve as an organic, slow-release fertilizer.

How to harvest Strawberry

Actually the berries on a strawberry plant tree are usually ready for harvesting in the late fall or winter around November or December. The berries are best picked when the skins of the berries are very red and they are a bit soft to the touch. 

Growing Strawberry tree in pots

The 'Elfin King', 'Oktoberfest', and 'Compacta' varieties are all dwarf strawberry tree varieties that are ideal for growing in pots on a patio in bright light and away from wind. Make sure you choose a well-draining pot of any material that's about fourteen inches deep and fourteen to twenty-four inches in diameter to accommodate the root growth. The container and the Strawberry tree can be quite heavy so consider putting the potted plant on casters, which will also lift it off the ground to help with drainage.

Pruning Strawberry Tree

Pruning is not generally necessary for Strawberry tree unless the branches are growing the wrong way or there are dead, diseased, or dying branches. If you do wish to prune the tree, make sure you do so at the end of winter and into early spring. You can also train the shrub so that it has more of a tree form with a single trunk.

How to propagate Strawberry tree

The propagation of strawberry plant tree is possible through cuttings and layering. The process of letting the seedlings of strawberry trees grow enough to plant them outdoors takes patience, which is why layering may actually work best.

The following is how to propagate strawberry trees through layering and cuttings:

Propagation by Air Layering

For air layering, you will need a very good sharp knife, rooting hormone (optional), a growing medium like sphagnum moss, plastic wrap, zip ties (or wire, electrical tape, or string), a pot, and slightly acidic, well-draining soil.

- In early to late spring, pick a branch that would make a good tree specimen, one to two years old, and clear a 1-foot section of any leaves.

- Cut a ring around the branch, and one inch below, another ring; connect the 2 rings with a vertical cut, and remove the bark and the soft tissue of the cambium layer, leaving the woody center.

- Then apply rooting hormone, if using, around the top cut.

- Apply moist (but not wet) sphagnum moss around the wound, and then wrap it with plastic wrap so that it's sealed tightly; the packed moss should be three to four inches thick.

- Secure the plastic wrap on each end (you can use zip ties, wire, electrical tape, or string)

- Check for moisture, and if the moss is dry, spritz to moisten.

- The roots should appear in eight to twelve weeks; once the roots appear, cut the stem just below the rooted area.

- Remove the plastic wrap, but leave the moss so the roots are not disturbed, and then plant the branch in a container filled with slightly acidic, well-draining potting soil. Place the container in a spot with bright, indirect light and then keep the soil evenly moist until the plant roots are well established.

Propagation by Cuttings

The best time to take cuttings from the strawberry plant tree is in July. You will need a sterilized garden cutting tool, rooting hormone, soilless potting mix, and six inch pots with a drainage hole.

- Just choose a new growth—green, soft (non-woody) stems—for cuttings.

- Using a sterilized cutting tool, make a clean cut just below a node; each cutting should be four to six inches long and contain at least 2 leaves and one node.

- Remove all but 1 or 2 leaves on each cutting and then apply rooting hormone to the cut's end.

- In each container filled with potting mix, make a hole with a pencil, or something similar, and then gently place the cutting in the hole. Tamp soil around the cutting and then water the potted cutting.

- Cover the pots with a plastic bag, which provides a warm, humid environment. Do not seal completely so there’s some airflow.

- You need to keep the cuttings in a warm spot with bright light until they are hardy enough for outdoor planting.

Growing Strawberry tree from seed

Actually the seeds from the strawberry tree's fruits are naturally spread by birds who consume the berries. If you want to grow the strawberry plant tree from seeds, gather them when you harvest the berries and then put them through the stratification process. It may take quite a bit of time before you have a large enough plant to put in the ground outside. The following are the steps to grow a strawberry tree by seed:

- Soak the Strawberry seeds in warm water for five to six days.

- Place the Strawberry seeds on top of moist compost in a seed tray, and then add a light dusting of soil on top.

- Place in a cold frame; the strawberry seeds will go through a period of dormancy until they germinate in the spring.

- Plant in seedling pots, and grow in a greenhouse or cold frame for about one year.

- Plant in the ground or a larger container after the last frost has passed.

Overwintering

The younger Strawberry trees may need protective burlap covers in cold weather and frosts to prevent damage to the flowers and fruits. Covers can also protect the younger Strawberry trees from cold winds.

How to get Strawberry plant tree to bloom

Bloom months

The Strawberry plant tree blooms in fall and winter, from October to December. The green fruits appear in winter—often overlapping when the Strawberry tree is flowering—and ripen, almost a year later, when they turn red.

How long does Strawberry plant tree bloom?

The Strawberry plant tree's blooms last until fruits form one year later.

What do Strawberry tree flowers look and smell like?

The Strawberry plant trees blooms form two inch long panicles with clusters of ten to thirty white or pink, bell-shaped flowers. The flowers have a mild scent. 

Pests and diseases

The Strawberry plant trees can be affected by many common plant diseases, including anthracnose, Annosus root rot disease, leaf galls, phytophthora (a fungus), leaf spots, sudden oak death, and twig dieback.

Some of the common pests that may strike your strawberry shrub include flatheaded borers, aphids, leafminers, scale, thrips, and Western tent caterpillar(Malacosoma californicum).