Other Names:  Apple of Cain; Cane Apple

Description:

A beautiful evergreen tree with a broad dense crown; pendulous clusters of white flowers are produced in autumn followed by edible red fruit; drought tolerant but best when watered; deep rooted for soil retention

Ornamental Features

Strawberry Tree features showy clusters of white bell-shaped flowers hanging below the branches in mid fall. It has dark green evergreen foliage. The glossy oval leaves remain dark green throughout the winter. The peeling brown bark and red branches are extremely showy and add significant winter interest.

Landscape Attributes

Strawberry Tree is a dense evergreen tree with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Strawberry Tree is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Strawberry Tree will grow to be about 25 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 80 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America.