Arbutus , the bush with beautiful flowers and colorful fruits
Scientific name : Arbustus unedo
Common name : Medronho
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Family : Ericaceae
Genus : Arbutus
Origin : Arbutus is a shrub originating from the Mediterranean area of the European continent. Currently, given its ease of adaptation, it has been distributed across a large number of countries (Africa, Iberian Peninsula, France, Ireland, Ukraine, Mexico, Cuba, Central America and part of South America). In Portugal present throughout the country with a large focus on the lower Alentejo and Algarve mountains.
Best known for the fruit....
Arbutus is a red fruit and belongs to the “small fruit” category , being a round, warty berry, intense red when ripe.
Before reaching the intense red state, it goes through several phases of green, yellow and orange coloring.
The best-known component of the Medronheiro is its fruit.
Can you eat medronho? Medronho is an edible fruit , used in cooking, pastry, among others for its recognized antioxidant, astringent, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, depurative and diuretic properties.
From the medronho tradition to new ways of tasting it. What is the medronho used for?
Despite all the potential uses, the oldest and most popular use continues to be Aguardente de Medronho.
Medronho brandy is a spirit, aromatic and colorless drink. Its versatility allows you to add it to various cocktails or simply drink it with coffee, a common practice throughout the country and especially in the lower Alentejo and Algarve where the drink is best known and appreciated.
Other applications :
- fresh food and culinary applications for its antioxidant properties, sugar level (jam, jelly, jam, yogurt, cakes, chocolates, bread, vinegar, gelatin...)
- medronho honey is a very specific honey due to its bitter flavor, reminiscent of coffee. Quickly crystallizing, dark brown in color
- alcoholic liqueurs . gin, vodka and medronho beer are now available on the market
- use of its leaves for infusions . Diuretic and antiseptic power can be used for homeopathic purposes
- Its leaves and bark are still used in leather tanning, as they are rich in tannins
- strawberry tree branch for ornamental purposes
- the wood from this bush, in addition to being good quality firewood, is also used to make charcoal
The tree with Christmas decoration
Between November and December this Medronheiro tree has colors that remind us of a Christmas tree: Green, yellow, orange, red fruits and white and pink flowers
Strawberry trees grow favorably and spontaneously in shale and poor soils , especially in the regions of Alentejo, Algarve and the interior of the Central and Northern Region of Portugal.
The strawberry tree normally has a shrub-like growth to a height of approximately 5 meters with erect branches, which sprout from the trunk 0.50 meters above the ground and which are also widely spaced between each other.
The crown of the strawberry tree is rounded with persistent, elliptical-shaped leaves that take on a dark green color similar to that of the cork oak, and also have a waxy shine on the upper surface.
The white or slightly pink flowers of this Medronheiro tree are very decorative .
If you want to know more about tree exploration , contact us!
Looking at the future of strawberry trees,
The best agricultural and forestry practices are now also being used to exploit this species.
Knowledge of other fruit trees reached Medronheiro, allowing a higher quality final product for the consumer.
Some practices such as : the ordering of Medronheiro trees in orchards, the choice and selection of trees with the best fruits, watering, pruning operations, pruning, among others, allow consumers to provide a higher quality product.
How to plant or sow the strawberry tree?
The most common practice is to plant the Medronheiro on the ground with a height of around 15 to 30cm and a developed root system . Techniques such as directly sowing seeds into the soil or propagation by cuttings have a very low success rate.
In the lower Alentejo, under rainfed conditions, the common practice is to plant crops at the end of winter .
The time of year to plant the strawberry tree will depend on several factors such as the climate of the area, soil quality and whether or not there is access to water for irrigating the Medronheiro trees.
Highly recommended for areas with high exposure to frost, the installation of micro-perforated protective tubes. If you want to know more about planting, contact us .
How should the land be prepared to plant strawberry trees?
Each location is unique, but some factors are critical for good land preparation, such as:
1) Soil analyzes (measuring the richness of the soil in terms of macro and micronutrients, organic matter and PH levels are the minimum that should be evaluated). Based on these, you will assess whether there is a need for any treatment or correction of the soil necessary for the correct development of the plant after planting.
2) Mechanization of the land , with a view to developing the strawberry tree, you must carry out some actions such as:
A) carry out deforestation (cleaning, removing existing vegetation, reducing competition with plants and increasing their exposure to sunlight) with the incorporation of plant matter into the land.
B) soil corrections such as organic matter, PH correction or others necessary taking into account soil analyses.
C) Land ripping , ripping allows, when the ripper is used with dry soil, to fracture the compacted horizons, thus increasing the volume of available land. This operation is extremely important, as it will facilitate the penetration of the roots into the soil, while also facilitating water drainage and infiltration.
Operations can be more or less complex depending on the location and its condition , if you want to know more about preparing land for installing strawberry trees contact us .
What are micro protective tubes for on plantations?
Despite being another investment in the plantation, micro protective tubes have numerous benefits, including:
1- Guarantees efficient and correct growth of the aerial and root parts.
2- Conserves moisture directly to the root zone. It produces a microclimate favorable to plant survival and growth. protects from direct sun
3- Protects the plant from rodents and larger animals, strong winds and frost.
4- Reusable and/or Recyclable
An investment worth considering not only for reducing the mortality rate but also for bringing the plant into production sooner.
Note : buy tubes suitable for strawberry trees (micro perforated, with a border at the top, 40 to 50cm)
How long does it take for the strawberry tree to bear fruit?
The search for profitability with the Medronho fruit makes this one of the most recurring questions. How long until it bears fruit?..... Medronheiros grown under rainfed conditions in the lower Alentejo come into production between 3 and 5 years , with the most common period being the 4th year.
This time can be reduced depending on some factors such as: choice of plants, land preparation, quality of the plantation, irrigation systems, among others.
What is the difference between cloned strawberry trees and those of seminal origin?
Cloned strawberry trees are a replica of the tree that gave rise to them, thus having characteristics exactly the same as their origin.
Strawberry trees of seminal origin are collected from the seed of a fruit taken from the mother tree, but they do not guarantee that they are the same as that tree (as they are influenced by the mother tree and the father tree).
Cloned strawberry trees are obtained using micropropagation or cuttings techniques, with their value being 4 to 10 times higher than a strawberry tree of seminal origin.
There are several issues to address within the selection of plants and their origin. To find out more, don't hesitate to ask for more information .
Should I choose colonized or seminal arbutus trees?
At the end of the day it should always be a choice based on the objectives you have for the plants or orchard.
If you want to maximize fruit production, colonized strawberry trees are undoubtedly the choice (a higher investment).
However, you should bear in mind:
1- what is the origin of the clones
2- ensure genetic diversity in your orchard, to reduce exposure to possible pests and diseases
3- there are good orchards of seminal origin with much lower investments (right choice of nurseries)
In the strawberry trees, 2 companies lead innovation and research:
A) GreenClon
B) Deifil
Where should I buy strawberry trees? Associated with your choice of plant origin is where to buy it. Due to the variety of available offerings, take into account several factors other than price, especially:
- nurseries certified by ICNF
- origin of the seed or clone. Have a phytosanitary passport - DGAV
- ask for references and visit orchards that your potential supplier has used
To find out more about productivity, tests carried out with various plants , contact us
How many strawberry trees should I put per hectare?
Arbutus orchards must have between 400 and 1000 plants per ha .
The three main factors in defining the number of strawberry trees to place per ha are:
1) definition of what purpose we want from the plants (branches, fruit, forest and intercropping with other species)
2) slope and inclination of the land where the orchard is located
3) how the orchard will be managed in terms of pruning and formation of Medronheiro trees
When and how should I prune strawberry trees?
Medronheiro trees should always be pruned during their vegetative rest period .
The strawberry tree in most situations grows in the form of a bush, without any intervention that allows the renewal of new branches. Most pruning interventions are aimed at reducing the size of the bush and facilitating harvesting .
Training and training pruning are critical for those looking to increase the tree's fruit. When “choosing” the shape of the tree you can opt for “vase” conduction, “coated central axis” or others.~
Pruning, pruning or rolling, more aggressive interventions may be necessary for large trees, trees in areas burned by fire or other conditions.
How are strawberry trees pruned? The basic principles of pruning operations are in line with the pruning of other fruit plants and with widely tested and disseminated knowledge. The main question to answer is what shape you want to give your trees, how you want them to be managed.
Contact us to find out more about arbutus tree pruning.
What characteristics determine strawberry tree pruning?
The general principles of pruning are common to several fruit plants, but Medronho has some specific characteristics such as:
1- Shrub or small evergreen tree. In good conditions for development it can reach several meters in height
2- Without great apical dominance
3- Older wood has dormant buds that, after stress (intense pruning or destruction of part of the part burned by fire), sprout and new releases
4- Great capacity to regenerate from torga. The thickest roots have reserves and dormant buds
5- The bunches of flowers originate from ready-made terminal buds (they are formed in the same year in which they evolve) that is, they always bear fruit on new branches
6- From flowering to harvest, it takes 10 to 12 months; It is common for the harvest time to coincide with the flora that will produce fruit the following year.
7- Maturation and flowering normally occur between October and December; There are also plants that, under certain conditions, have ripe fruits in August.
Should I water strawberry trees? Can I do fertigation?
The Medronheiro, like any tree, likes to have optimal water conditions for its development.
In most of the country (Portugal) the orchards installed do not have irrigation systems for 2 reasons:
- high investments in irrigation system
- difficulty accessing water
In mainland Portugal, the strawberry tree benefits from irrigation as the hot months of May-August are too aggressive and cause water stress for the plants, jeopardizing the development of the plant and fruits.
The irrigation plan must evaluate the age of the plant, the phenological cycle, the humidity and rainfall conditions of the location.
Fertilization via irrigation will be important if there is any nutritional need for the plant, combating pests or others. Note that this step must also take into account the phenological cycle and soil analyses.
How much water do strawberry trees need?
A very common question and a simplistic attempt to find out more is "how many liters of water do I put on strawberry trees?"
The answer is simple but not linear, it depends on each case and requires the analysis of 5 factors:
1- edaphoclimatic conditions
2- the phenological state
3- the age and leaf and root development of strawberry trees
4- the strawberry tree can withstand water stress, so it is necessary to understand the objectives you have with watering (plant survival, type of fruit...)
5- existing irrigation system
When do strawberry trees bloom?
Floral induction and differentiation occurs between June and September.
From October to January, its small white flowers arranged in hanging clusters bloom , at the same time the ripe fruits of the previous year's flowers are ready to be picked.
The Medronheiro at this time of year is one of the most eye-catching species in our forest areas due to the number of colors it has (white, pink, green, yellow, orange and red).
What are the most common disease pests in strawberry trees?
Arbutus trees are a rustic species that only a few years ago began to be installed in orchards, always with great genetic variety.
As such , there are not many pests and diseases in this crop yet.
The most common are:
Aphids (such as green lice and black lice), strawberry butterfly and strawberry moth, there are several fungi, such as the one that causes the so-called black spot
When does the arbutus harvest begin?
The harvest season for the medronho fruit begins in October and can last until January. Between November and 15 December is usually, in the lower Alentejo, the time when 90% of quality Medronho is harvested.
This is a manual process of extreme importance for the quality of the famous Aguardente de Medronho . Only ripe fruits should be chosen, they cannot be “pecked” by birds or fermenting. Leaves and peduncles cannot be collected. All these factors contribute to the chemical and sensorial quality of Aguardente de Medronho.
How much does 1 kg of medronho cost?
Medronho for fresh consumption costs €6 to €12/kg . The medronho market for fresh fruit has little expression in the national market.
Medronho harvested to produce medronho brandy has a cost of between 1.5 and 3€/kg , depending on the origin of the product and quality of the harvest.
If you want to buy arbutus, contact us
Do you need support for the installation or management of your Medronheiros orchard? Do you want to make your strawberry trees more productive and profitable?
In addition to our own orchards, we support several farmers in the different stages of setting up a strawberry tree orchard as well as its maintenance.
If you want to know the best practices for installing strawberry tree orchards, managing pruning, pruning, rolling, picking and selecting fruits, watering and fertilizing systems for strawberry trees, do not hesitate to contact us at the link below or claramedronho@gmail.com