An attractive evergreen tree bearing red strawberry-like fruits that, as its epithet suggests (unedo means 'I only eat one'), are not particularly tasty. Known as Caithne in Ireland. Its distribution follows ancient copper-mining patterns, possibly imported by Bronze Age miners from northern Spain 4,000 years ago, making it an archaeophyte, including in Ireland.

Native to warmer north-west Europe, especially the Mediterranean, including France, Spain, Portugal and Italy, and further east through the Aegean, the Balkans, Turkey and North Africa. Considered a neophyte in Britain and often, though increasingly disputed, called native in Ireland. It often grows on steep rocky ground, including south-west Irish and southern British cliffs.

Monoecious. Insect-pollinated. Fruit a berry with 25 seeds, distributed by birds. A natural hybrid (Arbutus × andrachnoides) is an occasional street tree, growing to 10m, red-stemmed.

Small (12m), usually multi-stemmed with dense rounded clumps of bright green evergreen foliage. Bark red-brown, peeling; buds alternate. Twigs stiffly glandular-haired. Leaves oblong-ovate to lanceolate (5-11cm), glossy dark green and leathery, finely round-serrate or entire, on a petiole 1cm or less. Flowers in a drooping panicle of up to 10, ivory with a pink blush, bell-shaped, blooming through winter. Fruits take a year to mature, turning green-yellow to red (2cm), maturing as the next flowers appear.

A hardy pioneer species, capable of growing in many different soils, and sometimes considered invasive. Regenerates readily, even after severe cutting or coppicing, sprouting from lignotubers.

Flowers provide a valuable source of nectar through winter months.

Generally free of serious pests and pathogens. Natural populations in Ireland may be under threat, due to their isolation.

Fruit edible but not tasty to humans unless cooked, such as in jams. Distilled to make the alcoholic fruit brandy Medronho in Portugal.