Strawberry tree: an evergreen shrub with a thousand properties

The corbezzolo (Arbutus unedo) is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 10 metres in height under favourable conditions. Characterised by a dense network of branches, the youngest twigs have a reddish-brown colouring, which makes the plant particularly aesthetically pleasing. In addition to this, the arbutus performs important ecosystem services. Its roots help prevent soil erosion, while its flowers, rich in nectar, provide a valuable source of nourishment for pollinating insects, promoting biodiversity. The strawberry tree fruits, when fermented, can give rise to a low-alcohol beverage known as 'strawberry tree wine', a tradition rooted in Mediterranean culture.

The corbezzolo is mainly widespread in the Mediterranean regions, where it finds its ideal habitat in calcareous, well-drained soils, often in hilly and coastal areas. It grows spontaneously in woods, thickets and garigues (a type of vegetation typical of the arid soils of Mediterranean areas, composed especially of low evergreen shrubs and dry meadows), adapting well to different climatic conditions. This shrub is particularly common in Italy, Spain, Portugal, southern France and along the Adriatic coast of Croatia. In addition to its presence in the Mediterranean, the strawberry tree is also cultivated in other parts of the world for ornamental purposes and for its fruits, which are used in various food products. The ability to adapt to different environmental conditions makes the strawberry tree a versatile and hardy plant species of great ecological value.

One of the most fascinating characteristics of the strawberry tree is its particular vegetative cycle, which allows the plant to simultaneously host flowers and ripened fruits. This phenomenon occurs because the strawberry tree flowers during the ripening period of the fruits produced by the previous year's flowering. This peculiarity ensures a continuous production of flowers and fruits, making the strawberry tree a constant and lively presence in the natural landscape. Its white, fragrant flowers attract numerous pollinating insects, which are essential for healthy ecosystems. At the same time, its red fruits are a crucial food resource for many wild animals.

The leaves of the strawberry tree are easily recognisable by their fairly elongated oval shape and their bright green colour. Their stalk is very short and irregular, giving this shrub a unique and distinctive appearance. The leaves of the strawberry tree are sclerophyllous, i.e. hard, leathery and evergreen. Their structure and arrangement make the strawberry tree particularly resistant to adverse weather conditions, such as dryness and strong winds, contributing to its longevity and robustness. The leaves of the strawberry tree are also rich in tannins and phenols, which is why it is a shrub with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

The Latin name of the strawberry tree, Unedo, is first attested in the writings of Pliny the Elder. It is believed that 'unedo' derives from 'unum edo', meaning 'I eat only one'. This name alludes to the presence of a substance in the fruit that makes it inadvisable to consume it in large quantities. The strawberry tree also has a profound symbolic meaning: during the Risorgimento, the simultaneous presence of the red of the fruit, the white of the flowers and the green of the leaves recalled the colours of the Italian flag, elevating the tree to a patriotic symbol. Moreover, in many Mediterranean cultures, the strawberry tree is considered a good luck charm and a symbol of prosperity.

Biodiversa is the free game app for biodiversity monitoring and ecosystem protection that allows users to easily 'collect' and identify plants and flowers encountered during an outdoor walk. An ambitious citizen science project that aims to create a cooperative archive dedicated to flora (and in a second phase fauna) in Europe, involving player users with challenges to catalogue species, some of which are rare or endangered. Available for iOS and Android, Biodiversa has a dynamic similar to that of some well-known free-to-play video games that encourage moving and travelling in the real world to 'collect' characters. In fact, the app made by 3Bee offers a gaming experience in which plants are all to be 'collected' and identified in order to collect experience points, level up and climb the leaderboard.