strawberry tree!!

[rockriver]

I was walking in the woods with some friends and came up on a lot of fruit on the ground.
end of your thumb sized rounded pink/red fruit that looked like round strawberries.
--
the ground was covered and the fruit tasted very sweet. i asked the owner and was told this was a strawberry tree. i had never heard of this before... i wanted more info.. he wanted to walk.
i think he didn't know either.

so... anybody know about a strawberry tree?

i gotta get a couple or three. they owner had done no fertilizing, bug killing or any watering and this is in an area of drought.
the tree just produced all on its on! (with the Creators instructions!)

got one?
any info or suggestions?

[BioG8r]

I am familiar with a couple of trees commonly called a Strawberry Tree. The only ones I have seen were in greenhouses/arboretums sooo, I googled it and sure enough there are 4 that are called strawberry tree,
"Strawberry tree may refer to either of several, not generally related, species of trees with edible fruits:
Arbutus menziesii (Ericaceae), commonly known as the Pacific Madrone, native to the west coast of North America;
Arbutus unedo (Ericaceae), native to western Europe and the Mediterranean basin;
Muntingia calabura (Malvaceae), native to the American tropics;
Myrica rubra (Myricaceae), referred to as the Chinese strawberry tree."

You might do the same and see which one it is (pictures) and share it's general habitat, looks like zone 7 to 10 would genearally be Tennessee and further South.
I would like to have one myself.

[goatlady]

Buy here at a reasonable price ... http://www.logees.com/prodinfo.asp?number=R2128-4

[BioG8r]

Cool, thank you for the info, Zone 9 and higher, counts me out unless we keep it in the greenhouse.

[rockriver]

thanks.
i need to go back and look at the leaves.
the fruit had a general strawberry appearance, just more rounded. but it was ?pimpled? for lack of a better word
and not smooth.
goatlady,
i may order a couple of these!!

[BioG8r]

RockRiver, did it look like these?

[BioG8r]

Well,,, that didn't work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Arbutusunedo03.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Yangmei.jpg

Try it that way.

[rockriver]

bio,
thanks.
picture one -- they look too prickly.
picture two... yeah.. i need to get back for another look. but that looks like it.
a couple of those trees producing sweet natural treats.... would be great!!
thanks again bio.
rr

[rockriver]

UPDATE
i got access to tree again. the first thing i and a friend did was eat about 3 of the fruit.
--
i then gathered a few leaves and paid attention to the colors.
i believe the tree matches bio's picture of the arbutusunedo.
the colors of the fruit and leaf structure match the picture. .

as we were preparing to leave the rear of both of our throats were tingling
and slightly bitter.

we rinsed with water pretty heavily then drank some milk.
wikipedia says ok to make jams and some folks make a brandy from the fruit.

i probably won't be ordering one...
i'll save those spots for more figs or pears or something else!!