Strawberry tree

Scientific name: Arbutus unedo Common name: Strawberry tree Fruit tree belonging to the Ericaceae family. It is widespread in Western Mediterranean countries and on the southern coasts of Ireland. It is a deciduous, evergreen plant that can grow as a shrub or small tree, up to 10 meters. Due to its neat reddish-colored branches, which are very decorative, it serves ornamental functions. It is a long-lived plant and can become centuries old; in suitable environments it can have rapid growth. It is one of the Mediterranean species that is best adapted to fires, as it reacts vigorously to the passage of fire by issuing new suckers (woody parts that form at the foot of the tree).

The strawberry tree has the characteristic of having three vibrant colors: the red of the fruits, the white of the flowers and the green of the leaves. This is why the plant is considered the symbol of the Italian tricolor. The poet Giovanni Pascoli dedicated an ode to it. Its fruits are rich in sugars and vitamin C.

Strawberry tree boasts a great number of properties, most of which are due to the tannins, which make up a rather substantial amount: in fact, strawberry tree is exploited in phytotherapy as a urinary tract disinfectant. The extract is also characterized by arbutin, a hydroquinone glycoside that lends itself excellently to the treatment of cystitis and urinary inflammation in general.