Strawberry tree
One of the most beautiful evergreen shrubs that can be met in Crete and in other regions of Greece are strawberry trees (Arbutus Unedo). The strawberry trees are found in all the prefectures of Crete and not only in the western Crete, as locals believe. Indeed at the westernmost part of the island we meet them quite often, while in the mountainous provinces of Kissamos and Selino they cover entire slopes often forming low impassable woods. The strawberry trees prefer phyllitic territories, unlike the second species of wild strawberry trees in Crete that prefer the calcareous grounds of Bali and Kandanos. Strawberry trees belong to the family of Ericaceae and their fruit is sweet and very beneficial to health. Apart from using them as fruit, in western Crete they are used from producing the famous raki made of its fruits, which unfortunately tends to disappear completely.
