Ugni molinae 'Villarica Strawberry' PAB 1347

Chilean Guava Myrtaceae

A particularly fine Chilean selection collected by Paul Barney at Pucón, Chile, as PAB 1347, at relatively high elevation near the spectacular Volcán Villarrica. Introduced through Edulis Nursery, this form was selected for its large, exceptionally flavoured fruit, attractive red young growth and improved hardiness, and has subsequently found its way into specialist collections in Europe and North America. 

A compact evergreen shrub, it carries narrow, elongated, glossy green leaves, with the young shoots flushed an attractive red to reddish-brown. Small, pendent white bells appear in late spring and summer, followed by unusually large, dark red to deep purplish berries. The fruit is one of the great attractions of the plant: intensely aromatic, sweet and distinctly strawberry-and-guava flavoured, with the characteristic complexity for which Ugni molinae is prized. 

‘Villarica Strawberry’ is also notable for its early cropping, with European growers reporting ripe fruit from around mid-August, earlier than their other Ugni selections.  The berries are excellent eaten fresh and can be used for jams, jellies, desserts and drinks. In Chile the species is traditionally known as murta or murtilla, and the fruit has long been gathered and used both fresh and preserved.

The selection has proved hardier than many commonly cultivated forms of Chilean guava, with plants in North America reportedly surviving around −15°C (5°F) and being rated approximately USDA Zone 7b.  In Britain it is nevertheless best given a sheltered position, particularly protection from cold, drying winds.

The name refers to Volcán Villarrica, the imposing snow-capped volcano near Pucón from which the original collection was made. The selection has since been introduced into North American horticulture through Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy, while European specialist nurseries now offer it as one of the more distinctive forms of U. molinae. 

Height: 1–1.5m
Spread: 1–1.5m
Flowering: May–July
Fruiting: August–October
Hardiness: Approximately RHS H4/H5; reported to around −15°C
Aspect: Sun or partial shade
Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained, preferably acidic
Origin: Pucón, Chile
Collection: PAB 1347, Paul Barney
Introduction: Edulis Nursery

Edible: Large, dark red to purplish berries with an exceptionally aromatic strawberry-and-guava flavour; excellent fresh or used for preserves, desserts and drinks.