Arbutus - Strawberry Tree

[MelaQuin]

I don't have one of these as a bonsai but I have been seeing plants appearing at a local nursery. I ran into my first Strawberry Tree in Wentworth Falls and spent some research finding out what it was.

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In the midst of the dominant gray-green January bush colours this blaze of rich rust was an eyecatcher. The older bark is reminiscent of brownish feathers and it was flaking off to show the smooth rust bark that was splitting to show the lime green new growth. Imagine this on the bench in a bonsai pot. Wouldn't it be striking!!

It would be hard to find another shrub that would be so cheerful throughout autumn and early winter when its dense mass of greenery is mixed with a profusion of flower clusters and ruddy, round fruit resembling small strawberries. The creamy white bell shaped flowers, often tinged with pink, are intermixed with the orange scarlet rough fruit which, owing to the time it takes to ripen, remains on the tree for 12 months, not maturing until the following autumn.

The arbutus is a native of Southern Europe and thrives in warm, coastal regions. The tree is common in the Mediterranean region and the fruit was known to the ancients. Pliney, who named the tree, considered the fruit so unpalatable that no one tasting it would do so a second time [un ede = eat 1 fruit]. In Spain, a sugar and spirit have been extracted from the fruit and wine is made from it in Corsica. In Algiers it forms hedges, in Greece and Spain the bark has been used for tanning. The wood makes good charcoal.

Arbutus is an evergreen and leaves are shed only after turning red during the second growing season. It is intolerant of shade. Arbutus is infrequently used as a bonsai but it adapts well to pot culture. It is not partial to cold climates and prefers an acid soil although it can tolerate lime. A fast draining soil is preferred. The flexible branches make wiring easy although the bark will need to be protected. Wire from spring to autumn.

Pests: wooly aphid, scale, mealy bugs, thripes, mite.

Species suitable for bonsai are: 1) Arbutus menziesii [Pacific madrone]. This tree is a giant in its natural habitat and best used for larger bonsai. Its new shoots are bright green, deepening to orange and eventually red as the bark thickens. The evergreen leaves are deep green with blue-white undersides and the tree has red berries. 2) Arbutus unedo. This is a small tree or bush.

[Asus101]

They collect it in croatia, and there is a really old one at adelaide Zoo. I have been interested in them for awhile now, but missed the best one I found at a nursery by about an hour.
I keep looking for one that's any good but havnt had much luck.