Arbutus andrachne

Greek strawberry tree                                                                                       Κουμαριά


Ericaceae - heather family                                                                                  Dicot.

 
 
 

Native to Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean, Arbutus andrachne is an important plant of the macchia, favouring calciferous soils. It grows as a shrub or multi-stemmed tree; its most striking characteristic is its silky red bark.

It has clusters of green tinged, white, bell shaped flowers in early spring, when the shrubs stand out at a distance from the darker green of the surrounding macchie. Interestingly both fruits and flowers are present at the same time on the same tree. The fruits are similar to those of the strawberry tree but smaller and in bunches; they are not edible.

Arbutus unedo
Strawberry treeArbutus_unedo.html
Anthyllis hermanii
Anthyllis_hermanniae.html