Strawberry tree
Also known as: Arbutus unedo, arbutus
The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) is a Mediterranean evergreen that flowers in autumn and winter and gives bees nectar for a bitter honey.
The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) is an evergreen of the heather family, usually a shrub, that grows wild mainly around the Mediterranean and along the western coast of Europe as far as north-west Ireland, with outposts in north-eastern Africa and western Asia. It flowers in autumn and winter.
In Sardinia the bloom lasts from October to January. Researchers there put the honey potential of strawberry-tree maquis at about 40 kg per hectare, best from early November to mid-December. The nectar already carries homogentisic acid, the marker of the island's famous bitter honey.
The honey is also made in Liguria, Tuscany and Campania, and in Corsica, Portugal, Spain, Albania, Croatia and Turkey. Miel de Corse names an autumn maquis honey from it, with notes of coffee grounds, and Miel des Landes lists it as a monofloral type from the coastal dunes. EU honey law lets strawberry-tree honey exceed the usual conductivity limit.
Why this matters to you: bitterness is this plant's signature, so a jar labelled strawberry tree that tastes mild and sweet probably holds little of its nectar.
Facts
| Botanical origin | Arbutus unedo L., heather family (Ericaceae) |
|---|---|
| Season | October–January (Sardinia); autumn–winter (Corsica) |
| Region | Mediterranean basin and Atlantic Europe to NW Ireland; NE Africa, W Asia |
How it connects to Honey & beekeeping
Strawberry tree → kind of → Honey plants → kind of → 🍯 Honey
Links
- Part of
- Honey plants
- Which honey it gives
- Strawberry tree honey, Miel de Corse - Mele di Corsica, Miel des Landes
Frequently asked questions
When does the strawberry tree bloom?
In autumn and winter; in Sardinia the bloom lasts from October to January.
How much honey can strawberry-tree maquis give?
Researchers in Sardinia put it at about 40 kg per hectare, best from early November to mid-December.
Is it true that strawberry-tree honey should taste mild and sweet?
No. Bitterness is this plant's signature, so a jar labelled strawberry tree that tastes mild and sweet probably holds little of its nectar.
Why is strawberry-tree honey bitter?
The nectar already carries homogentisic acid, the marker of Sardinia's famous bitter honey.
Where is strawberry-tree honey made?
In Sardinia, Liguria, Tuscany, Campania, Corsica, Portugal, Spain, Albania, Croatia and Turkey. Miel de Corse (an autumn maquis honey) and Miel des Landes (a monofloral type from coastal dunes) include it.
What to read next
- Strawberry tree honey — Strawberry tree honey is a monofloral honey from the nectar of the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), an autumn honey, amber and very bitter.
- Miel de Corse - Mele di Corsica — Miel de Corse - Mele di Corsica is honey with an EU protected designation of origin (PDO) from the island of Corsica: six seasonal types from the maquis and chestnut groves.
Similar
Black locust · Rapeseed · Sweet chestnut · Heather (ling) · Lavender · Rosemary
Sources
- Floris I., Pusceddu M., Satta A. (2021) The Sardinian bitter honey: from ancient healing use to recent findings. Antioxidants 10(4):506
- Miel de Corse – Mele di Corsica (PDO), amendment application, Official Journal of the EU C 134, 14.5.2013
- Single document 'Miel des Landes' (PGI), Official Journal of the EU C/2026/3214
- Council Directive 2001/110/EC relating to honey (consolidated text)