Arbutus unedo

Arbutus unedo, or strawberry tree, is a native Mediterranean species. It is also considered to be native to Ireland and is found in south-western Ireland and County Sligo; however, there is some question that its presence in Ireland may be due to introduction by prehistoric humans [1]. Due to its adaptation to hotter climates, its response to a warming environment is important to monitor in an Irish context. In Ireland it is also classified as Near Threatened in the IUCN Ireland Red List No. 10 Vascular Plants (2016), with population decline recorded in counties Cork, Kerry and Sligo associated with a decline in habitat quality [2].
It is a species with significant cultural importance, as its ornamental, nutritional and medicinal value has been recognised since Greek times [3]. It is widely researched, with more than 200 of its characteristics being studied globally, as retrieved from relevant databases.

1. Skeffington MS and Scott S. (2021) Is the Strawberry Tree,Arbutus unedo(Ericaceae), native toIreland, or was it brought by the first copper miners? British & Irish Botany 3(4): 385-418. https://doi.org/10.33928/bib.2021.03.385

2. Wyse Jackson, M., FitzPatrick, Ú., Cole, E., Jebb, M., McFerran, D., Sheehy Skeffington, M. & Wright, M. (2016) Ireland Red List No. 10: Vascular Plants. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Dublin, Ireland

3. Morgado S., Morgado M., Plácido A. I., Roque F., Duarte A.P. (2018). Arbutus unedo L.: From traditional medicine to potential uses in modern pharmacotherapy, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 225: 90-102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2018.07.004