Arbustus unedo

Arbutus unedo

Family: ERICACEAE

 The strawberry tree has this name in the English language due to lack of originality. In Portugal we call it Medronheiro; in Spain Madronheiro, in France Arbúsier. The fruits are not the regular strawberries you see in the market. They are also edible, red and yellow. They have a spherical shape and rough texture, almost resembling a litchi. The fruits may contain an alcoholic beverage, since their sugars start fermenting on the tree, when it's ripe. 

 This tree actually belongs to the heather family, as you might tell by the bell-shaped flowers. It's a remnant of the Laurissilva, the old kind of Forest that existed in Europe before the Glacial Ages.

 There are many known insect associations with this tree, notably butterfly larvae eating the leaves.

 The Portuguese people make a very strong fruit brandy called "águardente de Medronho": The Medronho firewater.

The white bell-shaped flowers of Arbutus unedo

Erica umbellata

Family: Ericaceae

This is an heath, belonging to the heather family. In April and May, you're able to see entirely pink cliffs or hills in Gerês, called heathlands. They gain this color due to the tiny urn shaped (urceolate) flowers  of this heath. Their power over the landscape comes from the sheer quantity of blossoms that each plant has.

 This is a very hardy plant, colonizing driest areas in the mountains, with poor and acid soils. They are also very resistant to fire and cold temperatures.

These flowers have a sweet scent that is very appreciated in honey.