Strawberry Tree

Common Name: Strawberry Tree

Scientific Name: Arbutus unedo ‘Elfin King’

Origin: Southeastern Europe, Turkey and Lebanon

Family: Ericaceae

Bloom time: Fall - Early Winter

Despite its name and proximity to the Garden's restaurant, this evergreen shrub/small tree is not the source of the strawberries you know.

Arbutus produces clusters of bell-shaped, white flowers followed by warty, red fruit. The fruit is sugary and edible right off the branch, but because it bruises so easily, you're more likely to encounter it in jams, marmalades, yogurt or liqueur.

‘Elfin King’ is a slow-growing, compact variety with reddish-brown peeling bark.