Arbutus andrachne

Inflorescence of the Eastern Strawberry Tree (Arbutus andrachne )

The eastern strawberry tree (Arbutus andrachne ) is a deciduous woody plant of the genus strawberry trees in the family Ericaceae ( Ericaceae ).

Description

The eastern strawberry tree is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a height of from three to five meters. Trunk and branches have a smooth, reddish-brown bark that peels off in large sheets. The egg-shaped to oblong leaves are alternate and are about 5 to 10 cm long. They are dark green on top, underside light gray-green and the edge finely ciliated. The flowers appear from February to April in upright, about 10 cm long panicles. The individual flowers are white and bell- shaped with recurved lobes and about 7 mm long. The berry-like, 5 - fächrigen fruits are 8 to 12 mm. The spherical fruits are initially green and orange-red stain with increasing maturity; the flesh is of floury consistency.

Dissemination

The Eastern Strawberry Tree is a typical fruit of the eastern Mediterranean. It occurs in maquis and evergreen forests of the Aegean, Greece, Albania, S-, Asia Minor and the southern Crimea.

Gallery

Bark of the Eastern Strawberry Tree

Leaves of the Eastern Strawberry Tree