Article Views:
14
Ezine ready page
Ezine ready page
Posted on November 30, 1999 by Joy Stoyle | Posted under Landscaping Gardening
How To Cultivate The Strawberry Tree
|
This elegant broadleaf evergreen is a year long delight having continuous different aspects of beauty and has long been prized for its interesting twisted trunk and branches. Identifying the tree, blossom and fruit In the natural growth areas of this species, e.g. south of Europe, southwestern Ireland northern regions of Africa and western Asia the Strawberry tree may slowly grow to an impressive 7mtrs with balanced branch growth. When grown in other areas the growth will be less in the region of 4 to 5 ms and the tree wider in appearance. Looking similar to a laurel the shiny darker green tree leaves are up to 10cms long and rounded to elliptical in appearance. They grow in an alternate pattern on the red leaf stalks and are strong with a jagged leaf edge. The Strawberry tree is self-fertilizing and blossoms late in the season. The creamy white flowers are cup shaped and grow in small bunches of about 5cms at the end of the branches. The blossoms may take on a pink shade when in strong sunshine. The slow ripening fruit of the Strawberry tree takes approximately a year before being ready so the tree bears its fruit and flowers together. Deepening from white to darker reddish orange in color the fruit does look a little like a strawberry and is a reasonable size being 1 to 2 cms varying in shape from a rounded appearance to a more flat shape and best gathered in the Autumn months. Strawberry tree fruits make delicious preserves, cordials, dried fruits and jellies. They can also be made into unique drinks including wine and liqueurs. Cultivating Strawberry Trees The versatility of the strawberry tree is clear. Cultivated for garden use it is good for giving structure to borders, as a standard or many branched shrub and will even make an attractive hedge although it will not tolerating heavy structured pruning. Ideally used as a container grown specimen the strawberry tree is suited to areas with restricted space, the smaller varieties being best for this. It is also widely used to maintain the soil stability of dune areas and its resistance to fire makes its use as a reforestation tree extremely valuable. The strawberry tree is not difficult to grow. Best results will be achieved with container grown plant as they are not happy being transplanted. A low maintenance plant, it will adjust to some drought conditions, is saline tolerant and is not known for particular insect or disease difficulties. Strawberry trees are sun lovers and flourish in dry hot desert regions which have some shade cover. They are also happy in areas which are warm and have limited rain. They are not able to thrive in cold frosty conditions as the leaves are easily frost damaged. Growing best in USDA zones 8 through 10 it prefers a soil balance of pH of 5 to 6, it can cope with slightly acidic to alkaline conditions and thrives on slightly damp free draining soil. Strawberry trees have the advantage of propagation by either seed or selected cutting of half ripe shoots taken from the summer months until the winter period. Other varieties and related species Other trees in the same genus are the Cyprus or Grecian strawberry tree, also the Pacific madrone, that grows in California and Oregon. Of the splendid varieties available ‘Jack's Elfin King' is one of the larger and has a long flowering time. It commonly reaches around 4metres. 'Quercifolia' has leaves that closely resemble those of an oak tree which are an attractive dark green highlighted with purple veins. 'Rubra' has flowers of a lovely dense and intense pink, but is not as robust and is a smaller type. However smallest of all is the ‘Compacta' variety. About The Author: |
Tags:
