Most members of the Ericaceae, or heather family, require acidic soils to thrive, though the genus Arbutus is an exception, and grows well on limy soils. The genus comprises 10 species from western North America, Europe and the Mediterranean. Originating from western Europe, Arbutus unedo, or the strawberry tree, is the most widely cultivated, and is grown for its evergreen foliage, delicate flowers, and attractive fruits. The leathery, glossy, toothed leaves provide a good foil for panicles of drooping cream-white flowers, which are produced in autumn. Globose, strawberry-like fruits, ripen in the following autumn, and can appear with the successive season’s flowers.