Strawberry Tree Care
Arbutus unedo
It likes full-sun or partially shaded areas and well-drained soil. It is famous for flowering in autumn while bearing the ripening edible fruit of the previous year at the same time. It is a drought-tolerant, low-maintenance Mediterranean plant.
Monthly care calendar
Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.
- Fertilizing: Not required, do not fertilize.
- Pruning: Not required; only remove broken branches.
- General care: You can pick the ripening fruits.
- Pests & diseases: Make sure the root zone does not stay too wet.
- Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -12 °C.
- Pruning: It does not need formative pruning and its top should not be cut. Only remove dry, broken, and diseased branches.
- General care: Remove weeds around young plants.
- Pests & diseases: General check.
- Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -12 °C.
- Watering: Only for newly planted seedlings (5-10 L/week if the soil is dry); not needed for mature plants.
- Fertilizing: Not required; only if chlorosis is present, apply a very small amount of acidifying soil fertilizer ("do not overapply").
- Plant protection: Check the new shoots for aphids.
- General care: A good time for new planting.
- Pests & diseases: Aphids generally do not pose a serious problem.
- Watering: For newly planted seedlings, 10-15 L/week (adjust according to rain).
- Plant protection: If leaf spot is seen, remove the affected leaves; spraying is generally not needed.
- General care: Mulch the root zone of young plants to retain moisture.
- Pests & diseases: Be careful about fungal leaf spot diseases.
- Watering: Continue watering young saplings (15-20 L/week).
- General care: Make sure the root zone does not stay excessively wet.
- Pests & diseases: Monitor the general health of the plant.
- Watering: In a long drought, water deeply once a month.
- General care: Observe the condition of the plant in hot weather.
- Pests & diseases: Watch for signs of drought stress.
- Watering: In midsummer, deep watering every 15-20 days is enough. Established plants (over 2 years old) do not need watering in most years. Water the area around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm.
- Fertilizing: Never apply fertilizer.
- General care: The best option is to leave the plant alone.
- Pests & diseases: Check the general health condition.
- Watering: In midsummer, deep watering every 15-20 days is enough. Established plants (over 2 years old) do not need watering in most years. Water the area around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm.
- General care: Only observe.
- Pests & diseases: Watch for signs of stress during extreme heat.
- Watering: In a long drought, water deeply once a month.
- General care: The fruits begin to turn red; you can take measures to protect them from birds.
- Pests & diseases: Check the ripening fruits.
- Watering: Usually rainfall is sufficient.
- Pruning: Not needed. Pruning destroys flowers and fruit.
- General care: Observe and harvest both the flowers and the ripened fruit at the same time.
- Pests & diseases: Prevent diseases by collecting the rotten fruit that has fallen to the ground.
- General care: You can continue harvesting fruit.
- Pests & diseases: Do a general check going into winter.
- General care: Evergreen leaves continue to lose water in winter. Water thoroughly once before the soil freezes.
- Pests & diseases: General check.
- Frost risk: In hard and prolonged frosts, cover the root zone with mulch or dry leaves; also protect young plants. It is damaged below about -12 °C.
The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.
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