About 15 species of evergreen trees or shrubs (including the ornamental "strawberry tree"), bark on branches and young stems is smooth and exfoliating, often reddish. Leaves alternate, flowers are in clusters (panicles), and the fruit is a berry-like drupe with mealy flesh, usually granular on the outside. Found in southwest Ireland, Canary Islands, southeastern Europe, Mediterranean region, western North America, Mexico, and Central America.
Arbutus: old Latin name, possibly for Strawberry Tree.
Pronunciation:
ar-BU-tus
Family:
Ericaceae