Tree species with area of origin Europe to Caucasus

Arbutus andrachne

Ericaceae

Distribution in Athens It is a main species in some areas in Attica's mountains, as a large shrub or a small tree. However it is extremely rare in the urban areas of Athens: Rome square in the city of Athens, Philothei-Psychiko (near Pikionis square and Pikionis Garden), Ilion. Specimen trees are located in the Ancient Agora park. A small grove can be found in the NTUA campus.

Biomes subtropical

Countries and regions (POWO Database)
Area of origin Eastern Mediterranean to Northern Iraq

Countries in the area of origin Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Greece, Iraq, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Palestine, Transcaucasus, Türkey, Türkey-in-Europe

Global distribution (introduced) Remarkable specimen trees can be found in botanical gardens in UK, France and USA (Sutton 2021).

Cities worldwide (GUTI Database)
Tree inventories
OCEANIA: Australia (Melbourne)
EUROPE: France (Montpellier), Italy (Florence), UK (Bristol, London)
ASIA: Turkey (Trabzon), Israel (Karmiel).

Performance Trees seem to grow well in small or large parks.

Literature References on climate suitablility: ARDEM project (INRAE), Floriscope (Plante & Cité).

References on Arbutus andrachne

Posts on Social Media
Liberto Dario (Λευτέρης Δαριώτης) (June 28, 2026).
Greek strawberry tree/Arbutus andrachne.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1J4WjN4NWr/

Books
Dirr, Michael A. 2010.
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants : Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. 6. ed., rev., [repr.].

Champaign, Illinois: Stipes.

Papers

BERTSOUKLIS, K. F., & PAPAFOTIOU, M. (2016).

Morphometric and Molecular Analysis of the Three Arbutus Species of Greece.

Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca, 44(2), 423–430.

https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha44210572

Plant Species Databases

Trees and Shrubs Online, www.treesandshrubsonline.org

Sutton, Julian. (2021)

'Arbutus andrachne'

https://www.treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/arbutus/arbutus-andrachne/

Plante & Cité

Floriscope, n.d.

https://www.floriscope.io/

'Arbutus andrachne'

https://www.floriscope.io/plantes/arbutus-andrachne

Research Projects

Unité expérimentale Villa Thuret (Jardin Botanique)

INRAE, ARDEM network.

Bugeaud, Rose-marie, 2022

“Arbres de demain - Fiches espèces.”

Created on December 23, 2022. Modified on March 25, 2024.

https://jardin-thuret.hub.inrae.fr/actualites/presentation-des-fiches-especes

Bugeaud, Rose-marie, Ducatillion Catherine & Oberlé Eléonore, 2022

"Arbutus andrachne"

https://jardin-thuret.hub.inrae.fr/content/download/6684/54816

Planting projects

Comune Di Milano. 2021.

Via Padova. Maggiori vivibilità e sicurezza, presentato il progetto di riqualificazione del quartiere.

https://www2.comune.milano.it/-/via-padova.-con-la-riqualificazione-piu-sicurezza-e-vivibilita-nel-quartiere

Plant identifying applications

PlantSnap. (n.d.).

How to care for Greek strawberry tree

https://www.plantsnap.com/plant-care/arbutus-andrachne

Other sources

Potamos Guest House. (2025).

Discover the Beauty and Wonders of the Strawberry Tree Arbutus andrachne in This Fascinating Guide

https://potamos.net/discover-the-beauty-and-wonders-of-the-strawberry-tree-arbutus-andrachne-in-this-fascinating-guide/

Acer pseudoplatanus

Sapindaceae

Distribution in Athens A few trees in three boroughs: city of Athens, Agios Dimitrios, Zografou.

Biomes temperate

Countries and regions
Area of origin Europe to W. Caucasus
Countries in the area of origin Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Krym, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sicilia, Spain, Switzerland, Türkey-in-Europe, Ukraine.
Global distribution (introduced) Algeria, Belgium, Canary Islands, Denmark, Great Britain, Ireland, Madeira, Netherlands, Sweden, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Australia (Victoria, New South Wales), New Zealand North, New Zealand South, Tasmania, Myanmar, Argentina South, Canada (British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario), USA (Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode I., Virginia, Washington)

Cities worldwide
Tree inventories At 127 urban tree inventories in the countries:
OCEANIA: Australia, New Zealand
AMERICAS: Argentina, Chile, Canada (Quebec city, Toronto, Vancouver), USA
EUROPE: Belgium, Croatia (Zagreb), Belgium, Denmark, France (Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Paris), Germany, Hungary, Iceland (Reykjavik), Ireland, Italy (Florence, Turin), Netherlands, Norway (Oslo), Poland (Warsaw), Portugal (Lisbon), Spain (Barcelona), UK (Belfast), Slovakia, Sweden (Malmö), Switzerland (Geneva, Zurich), Ukraine, Russia.

Performance

Literature References Sjöman and Anderson (2023)

Fraxinus ornus

Oleaceae

Distribution in Athens A specimen tree in a private garden in the borough of Zografou.

Biomes temperate

Countries and regions
Area of origin East Central & South Europe to Caucasus.
Countries in the area of origin Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lebanon-Syria, NW. Balkan Pen., Romania, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Türkey, Türkey-in-Europe.
Global distribution (introduced) Argentina Northeast, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Portugal

Cities worldwide
Tree inventories At 84 urban tree inventories in the countries:
OCEANIA: Australia, New Zealand
AMERICAS: Chile, Canada (Montreal, Vancouver), USA (San Francisco, Seattle)
EUROPE: Austria (Vienna), Belgium, Croatia (Zagreb), Denmark (Copenhagen), France (Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Paris), Germany (Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg), Italy (Florence), Netherlands, Norway (Oslo), Poland (Warsaw), Portugal (Lisbon), Spain (Barcelona, Valencia), UK (London, Belfast), Sweden (Malmö), Switzerland (Basel, Bern, Geneva, Zurich)
ASIA: Turkey (Trabzon).

Literature References It has been assessed as a promising species for the cities in the Mediterranean region (ARDEM project, INRAE). Also, it has been evaluated by the French forestry company FORESTOR which specializes in reforestation projects, as a species suitable for the climate of 2050 (Boudaille 2025).

Ilex aquifolium

Aquifoliaceae

Distribution in Athens A specimen tree in a private garden in the borough of Papagou-Cholargos.

Biomes temperate

Countries and regions (POWO Database)
Area of origin Europe, NW. Africa.
Countries in the area of origin Albania, Algeria, Austria, Baleares, Belgium, Bulgaria, Corse, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Portugal, Romania, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia
Extinct in Sweden
Global distribution (introduced)
OCEANIA: New South Wales, New Zealand North, New Zealand South, South Australia, Tasmania
AMERICAS:
Canada: British Columbia, Victoria.
USA: Arkansas, , California, Hawaii, New Jersey, Ontario, Oregon, Virginia, Washington
EUROPE: Belarus,
ASIA: Lebanon-Syria, Türkiye

Cities worldwide (GUTI Database)
Tree inventories At 73 urban tree inventories in the countries:
OCEANIA: Australia (Ballarat, Banyule, Bathurst, Brimbank, Burnside, Corangamite Shire, Greater Geelong, Greater Bendigo, Hobson Bay, Knox, Launceston, Marrickville, Melbourne, Moonee Valley, Port Phillip, South Grampians Shire, Stonnington, Whittlesea).
New Zealand: Christchurch.
AMERICAS: Argentina (Santiago del Estero), Chile (Valdivia), Canada (Montreal, New Westminster, Vancouver, Victoria), USA (Augusta, Cambridge, Newport, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle)
EUROPE: Austria (Vienna)
Belgium (Namur)
Croatia (Zagreb)
Denmark (Aarhus, Copenhagen)
France (Bordeaux, Grenoble, Paris)
Germany (Frankfurt, Hamburg)
Hungary (Budapest)
Ireland (Cork, Fingal County, Wexford)
Italy (Bologna, Florence, Merano, Prato, Turin)
Netherlands (Assen, Doetinchem, Waalwijk)
Portugal (Lisbon)
Spain (Caceres, Costa Brava, Valencia)
UK (London, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Camden, Trafford, York)
Sweden (Malmö)
Switzerland (Basel, Bern, Geneva, Zurich)
ASIA: Turkey (Bartin, Trabzon).
AFRICA: South Africa (Pretoria)

Literature References

Prunus laurocerasus

Rosaceae

Distribution in Athens It is occasionally used as a shrub for borders. However sometimes older plantings overgrow into small trees. As a central leader tree in public spaces in the boroughs of Ilioupoli and Kallithea. It is listed as an urban tree in the tree inventory of the city of Ioannina (GUTI database).

Countries and regions
Area of origin SE. Europe to N. Iran.

Countries in the area of origin Albania, Bulgaria, Iran, Libya, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Romania, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Türkey, Türkey-in-Europe

Global distribution (introduced)
OCEANIA: New South Wales, New Zealand North, New Zealand South, South Australia, Tasmania
AMERICAS: Argentina South, Canada (British Columbia), USA (California, Oregon, Washington)
EUROPE: Belarus, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Madeira, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine.
ASIA: Assam, Lebanon-Syria, Uzbekistan

Cities worldwide
Tree inventories At 46 urban tree inventories in the countries:

OCEANIA: Australia, New Zealand
AMERICAS: USA (Newport, San Francisco, Seattle)
EUROPE: Denmark (Aarhus), France (Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lyon, Paris), Hungary (Budapest), Germany ( Frankfurt), Ireland, Italy (Bologna, Florence, Turin), Portugal (Lisbon), Spain (Barcelona, Costa Brava, Valencia), UK (Birmingham, Bristol, London), Sweden (Malmö), Switzerland (Geneva)
ASIA: Turkey (Antalya, Trabzon).

Performance The plant species has proven to be very hardy as tree or a shrub.

REFERENCES

PROJECTS

INRAE, Jardin Botanique Villa Thuret 2022

“Arbres de demain - Fiches espèces.” Modified on March 25, 2024.