Strawberry tree

The strawberry tree berry is an evergreen plant typical of the Mediterranean scrubland, growing in size from a bush to a tree, with a rounded crown and densely branched trunk. During the flowering period (between October and January), the plant is particularly colorful because, alongside the white flowers, there are bright green leaves and fruits which, taking a year to ripen, change from green to yellow and finally to red. During the Renaissance, the simultaneous presence of green (the leaves), red (the ripe fruits) and white (the flowers) made this plant the symbol of national unity. The berries are edible, but be careful because eating too many can cause intestinal discomfort and pain.  As a testament to the cheerfulness it suggests and its particular beauty, in Tuscany, “corbezzoli” (in plural) is used as a playful exclamation of wonder. In the language of flowers, it symbolizes hospitality. The strawberry tree is a host species for the larvae of Charaxes jasius, the strawberry tree nymph. The strawberry tree can be found throughout the Lacona area, less frequently on the plain but almost everywhere along the chain of mountains that surround it. A beautiful scrubland with a prevalence of heather associated with strawberry trees can be crossed by following the path that climbs from Passo del Monumento to Tambone Mount.