An evergreen shrub or small tree grows to 5-10 m tall, rarely up to 15 m, with a trunk diameter of up to 80 cm. The leaves are dark green and glossy, 5-10 cm long and 2-3 cm broad, with a serrated margin. The flowers are white (rarely pale pink), bell-shaped, 4-6 mm diameter, produced panicles of 10-30 together in autumn. The fruit is a red aggregate drupe 1-2 cm diameter, sometimes called arbutus-berry, with a rough surface, maturing 12 months at the same time as the next flowering.

Astringent, diuretic, renal antiseptic (leaves, bark, root)

Plants for a Future
Floridata

Arbutin, cryptoxanthin, ellagic acid, gallic acid, hydroquinone, lupeol, lycopene, myricetin, ursolic acid, violaxanthin (leaf); betulinic acid (leaf, stem bark); tannin (bark, leaf)

In the treatment of affections of the urinary system such as cystitis and urethritis, diarrhoea and dysentery (leaves, bark, root)