Arbutus: growing and caring for strawberry trees on the site. Strawberry tree in Crimea Tree with red trunk in Crimea
Small-fruited strawberry has a number of synonyms: red strawberry tree, Greek strawberry tree, Greek strawberry tree. As a species, Arbutus is a member of the genus Arbutus, subfamily Arbutoideae, family Ericaceae and order Ericales.
Small-fruited strawberry is an evergreen tree. Its natural range of the species covers the Eastern Mediterranean, Asia Minor, as well as the Black Sea coast and Transcaucasia. The small-fruited strawberry is drought-resistant, although during severe drought it sometimes drops its leaves. It grows on dry coastal calcareous and slate rocks, rising along the slopes to a height of 200-300 m above sea level.
Small-fruited strawberry is a tree that reaches an average height of 5 m; sometimes there are giants of 12 m. The strawberry trunk is about 20 cm in diameter, on which geniculate-curved branches are placed. The trunks and branches are covered with smooth and thin red bark. Around June, the old bark peels off in patches, exposing the young bark, green in color, which becomes yellow over time, and by the end of summer acquires a coral-red hue. Young shoots are bare.
The leathery leaves of strawberry overwinter; they have an ovate, oblong-ovate or oblong-elliptical shape, 3-10 cm long and 1-6 cm wide, sitting on petioles 1-4 cm long. The leaves at the apex are obtuse, less often pointed, with a broadly wedge-shaped or rounded base. Usually strawberry leaves are entire, less often they are finely toothed along the edge. They are dark green above and bluish below.
The inflorescences are apical in location, representing glandular-fluffy panicles or brushes up to 10 cm long. They sit in the axils of scaly bracts. Flowers with a white or yellowish corolla sit on short pedicels 2-5 mm long. Calyx with five rounded-ovate sepals; the corolla is ovoid, with short teeth, 4.5 mm long. Strawberry fruits resemble berries in appearance, or rather multi-seeded drupes with a diameter of 1-1.5 cm. Numerous spherical strawberry fruits have a net-like wrinkled surface and are colored orange or brown-orange.
Depending on its habitat, small-fruited strawberry blooms from December to May and bears fruit in June.
According to scientists, in the vicinity of Gaspra and on the top of Ai-Nikola, there are two trees that are about 1000 years old. Moreover, the trunk span of these trees is about four meters. Small-fruited strawberry has been in cultivation since 1724, and in Crimea since 1813. This plant is valuable for cultivation on dry, especially alkaline soils. Strawberry wood is hard and dense, a very beautiful whitish color with a brownish tint, suitable for crafts. Its leaves are used for tanning, and the flowering plant itself is an excellent honey plant.
K. b. n. V. Artanomonov, photo by V. Tyurin
Science and Life No. 11, 1991, p. 158-161
In Ovid's Metamorphoses, a plant with an unusual name is repeatedly mentioned - strawberry.
And there are strawberry bushes with a load of scarlet fruits...
Completely satisfied with the food received without coercion,
They picked fruits from the trees and picked mountain strawberries.
Ovid mentions, of course, a Mediterranean species - the large-fruited strawberry. It has long been revered as a symbol of fertility, and in this capacity it was even depicted on the coat of arms of the capital of Spain, Madrid. Why did the strawberry become the personification of fertility? The roots of almost all representatives of the heather family, which includes the strawberry, are braided with mushroom threads. Thanks to them, strawberries, like heather, can grow on poor, infertile soils and at the same time produce abundant harvests of fruits, quite suitable for making wine and jam. Hence the popularity.
The ancient Greek naturalist, one of the first botanists in the world, Theophrastus, in his book “Research on Plants,” wrote about two types of strawberries - large-fruited and small-fruited. Modern botanists count 20 species of the strawberry genus, growing in Western Europe, the Mediterranean, Western Asia, North and Central America. In our country, only one species is found in its natural state - the small-fruited strawberry, or the red strawberry tree, which lives on the southern coast of Crimea and is occasionally found in Abkhazia and Adjara. This is what we will talk about.
The generic name was given to the plant due to the external resemblance of the fruit to the strawberry. They are just as juicy, orange-red, with a finely tuberous surface. Strawberry fruits are small, edible, and have a powdery, sweetish pulp. They become more delicious after they sit for a while. However, their aroma is not at all the same as strawberries.
The specific name - red strawberry tree - is suggested by the characteristic color of the bark. However, its color changes throughout the season. Starting from mid-summer, the bark gradually peels off, falling to the ground in the form of rolls of thin red skin, after which the trunks temporarily become olive green. But gradually they return their “tan”: they first become grayish, then yellowish, pinkish, and by autumn they restore their natural coral-red color, for which the plant is called red, and popularly called a coral tree. The change in color of the trunk is reflected in the local name - resort woman. But in America, strawberry trees are sometimes called whisperers, because the shedding of bark in places where they grow en masse creates a soft crackling and rustling sound. At the same time, the soil under the trees is covered with red, onion-like peel.
Strawberry is the only evergreen deciduous plant in Crimea. Its leaves are leathery, shiny, somewhat reminiscent of pears. They are generally elliptical in shape with a pointed tip. However, there are leaves that are broadly elliptical, almost round, oblong, and lanceolate with a rounded or blunt apex. Their size also varies greatly even on the same tree. The average area of a strawberry leaf is 23.3 square centimeters.
Leaves fall not in winter, but in summer when a dry period occurs. But the plant does not weaken photosynthesis, since at this time the function of the leaves is taken over by the bark. It turns out that the change in bark color that we talked about above has a deep biological meaning. By shedding old leaves, the tree simultaneously frees itself from the upper, red layer of bark. This exposes the underlying living chlorophyll-bearing cells - green! They compensate for the reduction in photosynthetic surface as a result of the falling of old leaves.
Strawberries begin to bloom at the age of 20-25 years. During this most important period of the season, its crown is decorated with white, creamy, elegant flowers, reminiscent of lily of the valley flowers. They are collected in large erect paniculate inflorescences. The flowering of one tree lasts about a month, and the timing of flower blooming depends on weather conditions.
Strawberry is drought-resistant and light-loving. If shaded by other plants, its trunk bends strongly towards the light. It usually settles on steep limestone cliffs and dry gravelly slopes, giving cliffs and cliffs a picturesque appearance. Quite often, the red strawberry tree is adjacent to other rare species - tall juniper, Pitsunda pine...
Once upon a time this species was found quite often in Crimea. Now there are only a few thousand adult fruit-bearing individuals here, preserved in twenty “shelters”. Some places where small-fruited strawberry grows in Crimea have been declared natural monuments. Its best preserved natural plantings are located at “Cape Martyan” - a protected part of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden. Here, more than half are young small plants up to two meters high, more than a third are medium-sized (both in age and height), and there are few “old people”, including only ten 10-13-meter ones, their age is about 150 years. In general, the age of the small-fruited strawberry can reach several hundred years. On Mount Ai-Nikola not far from Yalta there lives a thousand-year-old tree of this species.
However, as we see, few live to a respectable age. The fact is that young small-fruited strawberry plants do not easily resist unfavorable external conditions. Experiments conducted in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden in 1929-1931 showed that when seeds are sown in a natural environment, spring shoots develop only for a short time and die when a hotter and drier period sets in. Apparently, the same thing happens in nature during self-seeding. And only in years with mild winters, when very early emergence of seedlings is possible, do seedlings have time to adapt to drought.
Difficult growing conditions on the northern border of the range determined the life form of the small-fruited strawberry - with age, the trees develop several trunks that arise from dormant buds at the base of the mother's main trunk. These trunks are not much inferior in growth rates to the main one. In the protected grove "Cape Martyan" there are often small trees 5-6 meters high with 2-5 trunks.
The high variability of small-fruited strawberry is manifested not only in the variety of crown shapes (it can be similar to an egg, ellipse, hemisphere, flag), but also in the size and shape of leaves, inflorescences, and fruits.
The number of the species and its range are declining due to logging and changes in living conditions as a result of human activity. The influx of organized and unorganized vacationers into Crimea also creates unfavorable conditions for its growth.
What are the practical benefits of small-fruited strawberry? Its fruits can be eaten. They are usually eaten with sugar or syrup, or even liqueur. They are used to prepare jelly, marmalade, jams and preserves. Birds like robins, buntings, tits, warblers, and blackbirds also readily feast on attractive-looking berries.
The red strawberry tree looks very elegant: reddish trunks and branches are visible through the lacy emerald green foliage. And during the fruiting period, clusters of red fruits further increase its decorative value. However, strawberries are good at all times of the year. This is one of the most beautiful and original plants of interest for ornamental gardening on the southern coast of Crimea and the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. It is attractive in open sunny places, but is especially effective on rock ledges and on steep rocky slopes.
Due to the high sensitivity of young plants to cold, strawberries should be grown in protected areas. Seeds are sown in boxes shortly after collection, covered with glass on top and placed in greenhouses. The emerging seedlings dive in early spring into ridges prepared from drained calcareous clay soil, with obligatory shading in the first year. To protect against frost, plants are covered with fallen leaves or pine needles for the winter. Caring for young plants at first consists of loosening the soil, watering and shading; in the second year - loosening and limited watering, but without shading. In the third year, the plants with a clod of soil are planted in a nursery for growing, where they remain for 2-3 years. After this, they are quite suitable for planting in a permanent place in open ground.
Special mention should be made of the wood of the small-fruited strawberry. It is hard and strong, which is why it was used in ancient Greece to make weapons. Later, weaving looms were made from it. It is a very beautiful whitish color with a brownish tint. Of course, the small number in nature does not allow the use of strawberry wood for economic purposes.
With the help of a developed root system, the red strawberry tree holds rocky soils together and reliably protects slopes from water erosion.
In recent years, the chemical composition of small-fruited strawberry has been studied. Tannins are found in its bark and leaves, and there are quite a lot of them in the leaves - from 8 to 15 percent, which allows them to be used for tanning leather. In addition, flavonoids are present in the leaves.
High decorativeness, durability, the ability to protect slope soils from water erosion, honey production - all this requires especially careful treatment of the red strawberry tree. It is included in the Red Book of the USSR and is protected in the Cape Martyan and Pitsundo-Myussersky nature reserves. The Nikitsky Botanical Garden has developed a method for its propagation. Hundreds of seedlings were donated for planting in Crimean parks.
Syn.: common arbutus, common strawberry, common strawberry tree, large-fruited strawberry tree, Killarney tree, shameless, whisperer, Cain's apple.
A branched tree or shrub with peeling red bark and large fruits resembling strawberries in appearance, it is revered all over the world. The strawberry tree is famous not only for its original fruits and berries, but also for its antiseptic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and astringent properties.
Ask the experts a question
In medicine
All parts of arbutus vulgaris are used in folk medicine and homeopathy. Small-fruited strawberry - Arbutus andrachne - is a homeopathic medicine, the valuable component of which is arbutus bark. Used for medicinal purposes for cystitis, urethritis, eczema.
In folk medicine, medicines from flowers (decoctions, tinctures) are used for diseases of the ENT organs, stomatitis, and diseases of the oral cavity, since the plant has antiseptic properties. Strawberry flowers, which have a light honey aroma, are used as a diaphoretic. The leaves, bark and roots of the plant are used as an astringent, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and diuretic for diseases of the urinary system. The leaves of the strawberry tree in the form of decoctions and infusions are used for diseases of the digestive system, and arbutus bark is used externally for wounds, burns and some dermatological diseases.
Contraindications and side effects
Speaking about the benefits of strawberry fruits, consuming them in moderation is considered harmless and beneficial. If you eat a large portion of strawberries, you may experience dizziness or severe headaches and indigestion. Berries in large quantities have an intoxicating effect on the body, since in a ripe state the fruits of the plant contain a dose of alcohol, as well as a certain amount of a strong toxic substance. Contraindications to the use of arbutus vulgaris are pregnancy and lactation in women. It is not recommended for children to consume the fruits of the tree. Due to the high percentage of the same powerful poison andromedotoxin in the bark, which is not destroyed even by the drying process, the bark is used externally for medicinal purposes. Even honey collected primarily from the nectar of flowering arbutus bushes may contain a relatively large dose of this toxin, which is dangerous to the body.
In cooking
The berries of the strawberry tree are used to prepare candied fruits, syrups, jams, jellies; they are also used in the production of alcoholic beverages (liqueurs, wines). The Portuguese produce an aromatic arbutus vodka called Aguardente de Medronha.
In gardening
The strawberry tree is a valuable ornamental crop. The tree is unpretentious to growing conditions and is an ideal plant for growing in garden plots and city parks. Strawberries grow well in both fertile, well-drained soil and loam. Prefers open, sunlit areas. The plant is drought-resistant and does not need abundant and regular watering. The frost resistance of the tree is average (withstands temperature conditions down to - 15°C). When grown in climate conditions of the temperate zone, young seedlings are covered for the winter.
In other areas
In furniture production
Strawberry wood is especially valued in the furniture industry. It is hard, durable, reddish-brown in color and rot-resistant, so it has long been used for making plows and covering roofs. Wood was used in the production of various turning and carpentry products, colorful boxes, wooden souvenirs and watch cases.
On the farm
The bark of the strawberry tree is used for tanning leather, as it contains a large amount of tannin. Brown dye is obtained from the leaves. Strawberry is an excellent honey plant, but the honey from its flowers has a bitter taste. The fruits of the strawberry tree and its leaves are used in livestock farming as feed. Deer eagerly eat the young foliage of strawberry shoots, as well as its fruits.
Classification
Strawberry tree, strawberry or Arbutus (lat. Arbutus) is a genus of shrubs or trees of the heather family (lat. Ericaceae). About 20 species of arbutus are known, of which the most famous and typical species is considered to be the Arbutus vulgaris (Arbutus vulgaris, or Strawberry tree, or Large-fruited strawberry tree (lat. Arbutus unedo)). The Russian term “strawberry tree” refers in general to the genus of the plant Arbutus, as well as to a separate species - Arbutus unedo L..
Botanical description
The strawberry tree is a large genus of evergreen trees, as well as shrubs of the Heather family. The trees have several trunks with smooth, coral-red, or brown bark with cracks. The bark of young trees is gray-green. At the age of 50, strawberry trees reach 5 meters in height and grow rather slowly. Some species grow up to 12 m in height. Arbutus is a long-lived plant, many specimens live for more than a hundred years. Strawberry branches are curved. The leaves are leathery, dusty or entire, dark green in color, located on petioles. Arbutus flowers are collected in terminal pendulous or erect panicle inflorescences. The calyx is five-lobed, remaining on the fruit; the corolla is pitch-shaped, cream or white, with fused petals. There are ten stamens, they do not protrude from the corolla, the anthers have two appendages bent back. The ovary is 5-locular, with numerous ovules. The plant blooms in May. Arbutus is an entomophilous plant. Pollination is carried out by insects, which, falling into the pitcher corolla, try to get out of too tight a space. At the same time, they spin around, collecting pollen, then transfer it to other flowers, contributing to the fertilization of the plant. The fruit of the strawberry tree is a multi-seeded, round-shaped drupe covered with small tubercles-glands. The pulp is sweet and sour, aromatic, mealy, and tastes like garden strawberries. The seeds of the strawberry tree are ellipsoidal in shape, small, and contained in the juicy pulp. Strawberry fruits, as they ripen, turn from green to yellow, then acquire an orange-brown or raspberry-scarlet hue. Arbutus propagates by cuttings and seeds.
The most popular types of arbutus: common or large-fruited strawberry (Arbutus unedo), small-fruited or red strawberry (Arbutus andrachne), ferruginous strawberry (Arbutus glandulosa). Small-fruited arbutus is found in Crimea; its fruits do not differ much in taste, but are used in cooking. Ferruginous strawberry is a native of Mexico and grows in North America. Large-fruited strawberry (Arbutus unedo) is grown as a houseplant, often in bonsai style. Arbutus at home requires good care; under good conditions, it pleases with fragrant flowers and strawberry fruits at the same time. Very decorative.
Spreading
Arbutus vulgaris is native to Mediterranean countries. In the wild, the strawberry tree is widespread in Western Europe, including Ireland, Western Asia, America, and is one of the popular cultivated ornamental plants in the USA (California). Large-fruited arbutus (Arbutus unedo) is cultivated in Adjara and Abkhazia. The greatest variety of arbutus species is found in Mexico. On the southern coast of Crimea and on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus you can also see this colorful tree - the relict species Arbutus andrachne. It grows on gravelly slopes and rocks, along forest edges and in the undergrowth of forests. In the Mediterranean, strawberry grows in forest clearings, where, together with other trees and shrubs, it forms small forests called maquis.
Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.
Procurement of raw materials
The leaves, flowers, fruits and bark of the strawberry tree are used for medicinal purposes. The leaves are harvested in the summer: they are carefully picked, sorted, and the darkened ones are discarded. Then dry in a well-ventilated area. The raw materials are turned over daily. Dried leaves are stored in paper packages for no more than 2 years. The berries can be cooked or dried in special dryers. Flowers and bark are dried in a well-ventilated area under a canopy. The bark is harvested in the summer, during the peeling period, dried, crushed, and then stored in paper packages.
Chemical composition
The chemical composition of arbutus has not been sufficiently studied. And yet, strawberry fruits contain B vitamins, ascorbic, malic acid, pectins, sugars, carotenoids, and overripe fruits contain 0.5% alcohol. The bark and leaves contain a significant amount of tannin, which gives the berries a tart taste, flavonoids, tannins, as well as the toxic compound andromedotoxin.
Pharmacological properties
Tannins contained in the foliage and bark of the strawberry tree are involved in the binding of amino acids, have a calming and anti-inflammatory effect on the digestive system, improve intestinal microflora, and are active against staphylococci and salmonella. The fruits of the tree, like foliage and other parts of the plant, contain beneficial substances that have a therapeutic effect on the body. These are organic acids (malic, ascorbic), B vitamins, which promote active metabolism and have an immunomodulatory effect on the body.
Use in folk medicine
Due to the beneficial properties of strawberry tree fruits, leaves, bark and roots, the plant has long been used in folk medicine. Arbutus leaves and roots have a diuretic and astringent effect and are a good antiseptic. A decoction of these parts of the plant is used in the treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system (cystitis, urethritis). An infusion of strawberry leaves has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the abdominal organs, relieves stomach cramps, and normalizes intestinal function. When treating colds, a water infusion of strawberry flowers is used to gargle. A decoction of the bark or roots of the plant is used externally, applying lotions to wounds, burns, and for some skin diseases.
Historical reference
The strawberry tree is considered a relict plant. Fossilized strawberry trunks were found in Ancient Jordan, and someone who lived in the 300s BC. e. The philosopher and scientist Theophastus mentioned the plant in his own works (Historia Plantarum and De causis Plantarum). In the 17th century, a decoction of strawberry leaves and flowers was considered a healing remedy for the plague epidemic and an antidote. Even the ancient Greeks used this tree to make some weapon parts. The plant was brought to Europe in the mid-17th century, and a little later arbutus appeared in Crimea.
Every year, in the strawberry groves of the Pacific coast, on windless, hot days, a rustling sound is heard - these are arbutuses shedding their bark. This process of peeling off the bark occurs in the summer, so the strawberry is saved from epiphytic plants that have settled in the cracks of the old bark and seek to feed on the juices of the tree. New, smooth, green bark forms under the cracked old bark. Because of this feature, the strawberry tree in America acquired the name “whisperer”, and among the Crimeans - “shameless tree”. Arbutus is also favored by one of the larger butterfly species, the Israeli butterfly Charaxes jasius, which chooses only this plant for laying eggs and hatching caterpillars.
The original shape, aroma and color of the fruit served as the origin of the name of the exotic tree “strawberry”. The original raspberry-red balls resemble the strawberries we know, only in large sizes. Arbutus is a symbol tree famous in Madrid. Here the symbol of the city is a bear eating strawberries. The indigenous residents of Madrid believe that in the past, entire thickets of strawberries grew in their city, the fruits of which were content for bears. Shrubby, coastal thickets of arbutus in France are called “maquis”: in the past, the bushes served as a refuge for partisans.
The strawberry tree is known from biblical legends. The round red berries of the arbutus are a symbol of the drops of blood of the legendary Abel, who was brutally killed by his brother Cain. This is where the origin of another interesting name for strawberry comes from - “Cain’s apple”. The Killarney tree is the same arbutus. The name of the plant comes from the name of the tourist town of Killarney in the southwestern part of Ireland. The Irish strawberry is a national plant revered by the locals.
Literature
1. Strawberry tree - Arbutus L. // Flora of the USSR. In 30 volumes / Started under the leadership and editor-in-chief of academician. V. L. Komarova; Ed. volumes B.K. Shishkin and E.G. Bobrov. - M.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1952. - T. XVIII. - 802 s.
2. Shipchinsky N.V. Strawberry tree - Arbutus L. // Trees and shrubs of the USSR. Wild, cultivated and promising for introduction. / Ed. volumes S. Ya. Sokolov. - M.-L.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1960. - T. V. Angiosperms. Family Myrtaceae - Olive. - 544 p.
3. Arbutus // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
Sem. Ericaceae
Arbutus andrachne L., III
Small-fruited strawberry, or red strawberry tree- a tree with a smooth trunk of coral color. The only native evergreen deciduous tree in Crimea. The mountainous Crimea is a kind of refuge where ancient (Tertiary period) relics have been preserved.
Comes from the heather family. Homeland: The southern coast of Crimea (the northern border of its distribution lies here), the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and the Eastern Mediterranean.
The tree is original and decorative all year round thanks to its thin orange-red bark. Hence one of the popular names is “coral”, “mahogany” tree.
With the onset of hot June days, the old coral bark begins to crack and peel off in thin, papyrus-like flaps, exposing the silky olive-green color of the young bark. By the end of summer, the shedding of the old bark is completed, and the young bark, having fulfilled its function of partial photosynthesis in the sunny summer months, begins to gradually darken, first acquiring a beige-golden color, then flesh-pink, dull orange and, finally, by mid-winter, coral.
The falling of the bark is not accidental; this event is timed to coincide with the change of foliage. In May-June, young foliage appears on the strawberry plant, and old leaves fall off. The oblong-ovate leathery leaves are still too small. To prevent the tree from experiencing stress from a lack of nutrients obtained during photosynthesis, young green bark is included in this process, photosynthesizing over its entire area.
Small-fruited strawberry blooms profusely, as a rule, in April, but in warm winters it can bloom at the end of February. The flowers are white-cream, small, similar to lily of the valley flowers. Collected in thick drooping brushes. They are fragrant and attract many bees with their sweet nectar.
Externally, the fruits are very similar to strawberries. They are edible, but rather dry and tasteless. The fruits of the large-fruited strawberry (Arbutus unedo) are much sweeter.
However, the extraordinary decorativeness of the curved smooth branches, the originality of the bark and fruits make this species most valuable for use in green building.
Propagated by seeds and vegetatively. Gives self-seeding. Fairly drought resistant. At frosts of 15–20°C, leaves and part of the annual growth are damaged. In Crimea it grows mainly on coastal cliffs and rocky slopes up to a height of 350–400 m above sea level.
Strawberry wood, white with a red-brown core, is dense and hard. The leaves are rich in tannins and tannids. Local residents, especially Tatar sheep farmers, used them to tan expensive leathers.
According to the calculations of our scientists, only a few thousand strawberry trees have survived in Crimea. This is the result of the so-called anthropogenic pressure. This species is included in the lists of rare and endangered plants not only in Ukraine, but also in Europe.
Places of mass growth of small-fruited strawberry in Crimea (Baidar-Kastropol wall, Kastel and Krestovaya mountains, Martyan tract, Cape Aya) are declared natural monuments.
The largest Crimean population of small-fruited strawberry is located on Mount Ai-Nikola, above Oreanda. One of the oldest strawberries of the South Coast grows here: a specimen with a 4-meter trunk, from which ten large and small branches extend, each of which looks like an independent tree. The tree is more than 1000 years old.
English fairy tale about the strawberry tree
In it, the strawberry tree fell in love with the bird. The bird was dying and took refuge in a tree. The tree, having healing properties and a kind heart, cured the bird. She flew away, and the tree, gathering all its strength, strained all its branch muscles, tore its roots out of the ground and went to look for its beloved bird.
For many years it climbed to the top of the mountain, the sun scorched it, the bark peeled off, but it did not catch up with the bird. The tree got tired and said: “Cut love,” which can be freely translated as “there is no future for unrequited love,” or even more freely - “you won’t be nice by force.”
Shameless (strawberry tree) on Ayu-Dag. Photo by JuliaUa
I am sure that it is very difficult to find a person who is not familiar with strawberries. Everyone has seen it and many have even collected it, but not everyone has heard about the strawberry tree.
These evergreen trees are members of the Ericaceae family and are very unusual plants that boast of their orange-red coloring of the trunk, which replaces the bark every year. It is for this property that such an exotic miracle is also called shameless.
Small-fruited or red strawberry (Arbutus andrachne) can be found in the Crimea, where it is known as “resort girl” and “shameless” - because the tree is able to “shed its skin.”
I called this tree "red beauty" until I learned the name. I first met him on the old Sevastopol road, on the way to the Devil's Staircase. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take photos then (the camera was discharged). 
Finally, on July 24, 2014, I met this wonderful tree in Livadia Park 
Its beautiful coral-red trunk immediately catches the eye. The bark of the tree is completely smooth, without any cracks, like the reddish skin of a well-tanned person. The outer layer of bark is paper thin and shed annually. After this, the trunk becomes light and greenish. Over time, it turns red again. 
The strawberry tree is remarkable in that it is the only evergreen deciduous tree in the natural flora of the subtropics of Crimea. Its leaves are dense, leathery, shiny, and have a fairly regular oval shape. They tolerate light frosts well in winter. 
The fruits of the strawberry tree are small, spherical, orange, with a finely lumpy surface, somewhat reminiscent in appearance of strawberry fruits (this is how the plant got its name). However, their internal structure is different, since the strawberry tree is completely unrelated to strawberries. These fruits are juicy and sweetish. They attract birds, which feed on them and spread the plant's seeds.
The fruits of the small-fruited strawberry are edible, but not particularly tasty; they are suitable for culinary processing.
Arbutus. Photo: Hava Tor/The Epoch Times (The Epoch Times)
There are about 20 species of strawberry tree. Its botanical name is Arbutus. In Crimea and Asia Minor, the tree was nicknamed “kizil-agach”, that is, “mahogany”, by the color of its bark. It lives for several hundred years, does not shine in height, and is down to earth. But... its usefulness, applicability, and attractive beauty stand out significantly among the diversity of the tree kingdom. 
Legends about the strawberry tree
The Hebrew name for the tree is ktalav. The name comes from several ancient Arabic legends, very sad
What could be sadder than betrayal? This is exactly what the legends are about. The son moves far from home, his father recovers thanks to the efforts of his daughter-in-law, who then becomes pregnant by him. The son returns, finds out about the betrayal and kills his father in despair. He buries it, and over time a red tree grows there, which sheds its bark once a year, as if it were bleeding. Ktalav consists of two words with roots “qatal” and “av”, “qatal” - to kill, “av” - father. 
Small-fruited strawberry (Shameless, Red strawberry, Strawberry tree, Kurortnitsa) in Alupka Park around the Vorontsov Palace
And here are photos of the strawberry tree from the site 
Interestingly, the English cut love and the Hebrew “ktalav” are pronounced almost identically. And in America the strawberry tree is called “whisperer”
When it sheds its “dress,” it makes a rustling, clearly audible sound. In addition, the strawberry tree is a relict plant. The philosopher Theophastus, who lived in the 300s BC, mentions him in his writings.
The strawberry tree is an evergreen plant that lives in the Mediterranean, Mexico, on the coast of the Caucasus and Crimea, and in North America.
And another interesting coincidence: Arbutus is translated from the language of flowers as “I love only you.” 
A personal look at the exotic strawberry tree and its interesting cultivation and special care
By the way, I first met him in Crimea when I was on vacation there. I liked this miracle so much that I decided to start breeding it at home.
Having become interested in this treasure, I learned a lot of interesting things about it. For example, it bears fruit in September, and its fruits can intoxicate and cause a severe headache if eaten in large quantities. But, to be honest, I didn’t experiment. By the way, only in ancient Latin it is called arbutus. There are several types of this plant: mencis (its fruits are similar to strawberries, so it is also called strawberry mencis); large-fruited.
I decided to start raising such a handsome dog myself. But in order for me to be able to take care of it myself, I urgently needed advice on how to properly look after it. I turned to specialized literature, where I learned about all his features, as well as how to raise a handsome man. But it took me a huge amount of time. So I decided to save it for you. I will leave you with instructions so that you can take care of this pet correctly.
First of all I will say that You can grow strawberries at home if you create the necessary microclimate in winter
To do this, I choose a well-lit room that I ventilate regularly. In the summer it grows at temperatures of eighteen to twenty-two degrees. At this time of year, I often take this miracle out onto the balcony so that it can be in the fresh air, as it is very useful. Well, in winter it lives with me at temperatures from three to eight degrees. I perform pruning to remove damaged, unsightly or too thick branches.
You may have problems caring for your baby
First of all, diseases that arise due to improper care of the bush. For example, if the soil is over-moistened, mushrooms from the genus Septoria may infect your pet. When such a disease occurs, the leaves are affected by chestnut spots. In case of minor damage, I remove greens with spots, but if something is more serious, then I resort to treatment with fungicides.
Even in waterlogged soil, the bacterium Agrobacterium, which lives on the roots, can settle. If this happens, I remove the affected trees so as not to infect the others. And also, if the soil is too acidic, then the beauty may develop chlorosis, since she will not have enough iron. In this case, I treat the baby with a special preparation containing iron. Pets also have pests, and the most dangerous is the spider mite. Well, that's all about how to care for this exotic guest.
How to board a pet
I read that it can live on any garden soil. But I use a slightly acidic one, which contains organic fertilizers. Calcareous soil is also suitable for your pet. I place it in a permanent place in October or in the spring. I change the place of permanent residence, choosing in March or April in the case when the roots of the pet outgrow the volume of the pot.
Special watering
Watering is very necessary for young trees. As for adult plants, they are drought-resistant. However, I produce it all year round for shrubs of any age. For this I try to use soft water. I don’t do spraying, since my brainchild certainly doesn’t need this procedure.
For a tree to be beautiful, it needs fertilizing
For shrubs, feeding means a lot. I feed my bushes with both special fertilizers for heather plants and universal products. At the end of winter, I add manure to the soil. As for adults, I feed them every three to four months with granular fertilizers. And in the spring I add potassium and nitrogen fertilizers to the soil. Thanks to this, my pets become more lush and cheerful.
All secrets about reproduction are revealed
Reproduction occurs in two ways, for the first I use seeds. I sow them in peat mixed with sand and keep them indoors without heating. When the seedlings grow up, I place them in soil of the same composition, but one at a time. Then they live indoors with me for a year or two. If necessary (when the root system needs space), I transfer it to a larger container using the transfer method.
In the second method, I resort to cuttings, for which I use semi-lignified cuttings, the length of which is ten centimeters. I cut them in the month of July. I place them in the same mixture and keep them at a temperature of sixteen to eighteen degrees. Then, when they have roots, I plant them one at a time. Then I care for them in the same way as for seedlings.