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WALLACE W HANSENNative Plants of the Northwest
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Updated July 03, 2010 |
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Arbutus menziesii (Pacific
Madrone)
Plant Brief: A beautiful, elegant broad-leaved evergreen, 30 - 70 ft, Pacific Madrone is famous for it's smooth, reddish brown trunk, it's large evergreen leaves and small red berries. This native tree often grows on dry bluffs and poor soil, and the trunk often bends at graceful angles. It is superb as a single tree or in drifts. Madrone does best in a south or west exposure, well drained. Do not over-water or fertilize. Salal (Gaultheria shallon) does nicely below Madrone. Constantly changing, Arbutus menziesii sheds bark, berries and leaves. This northwest native tree is nearly impossible to survive when dug in the wild. A must for every garden. |
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| The following article was written by Jennifer Rehm in 2003. | |
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Description: Beginning in March through June, we see why this particular specimen, Arbutus menziesii, is so valued in the landscape. The red, smooth bark in combination with the dark green of the leaves and the whiteness of the blossom is absolutely stunning. As the flowers are spent, red and orange and yellow fruit, usually in the same cluster, appear and by autumn are mature. Other times of the year we are rewarded with a completely different show. In June or July, we see new leaves emerging in a vivid green as the old leaves turn a rich red and gradually fall. These leaves are a wonder in themselves. They are shiny and very green on top, much paler on the underside, hairy when young. |
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The bark of the Madrone has it's own palette, beginning as deep orange when young. As the tree matures, the bark becomes darker and darker red until it phases into grey. At that point the trunk begins to scale creating a completely different texture than the smooth young tree. |
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Scientific classification: Arbutus make up the genus Arbutus, of the family Ericaceae. The Madrona Tree is classified as Arbutus menziesii and the Strawberry Tree as Arbutus unedo. The Trailing arbutus known as Ground Laurel or Mayflower is classified as Epigaea repens. Habitat and Geographic Range: From Vancouver Island, British Columbia, south through the lowlands of the Cascades, sometimes found in the Sierra Nevada, through San Diego County and the southern California coastal mountains and finally to it's most southern growth area of Santa Cruz Island, the Pacific madrone is always distinctive wherever it places it's roots. It's elevation choices are from sea level to 6,000 feet. The environments where we find this beauty range from areas with average rainfall as much as 150 inches yearly to as little as 15 inches a year. As particular as it can be to establish, once it settles down to grow it will withstand high temperatures and drought to wet freezing conditions. Although it prefers some sun, it seems not to mind some partial shade. |
 Autumn color |
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It often strikes a fellowship with oak or conifers as long as the forest does not smother it by standing too near. Neighbors known to live amicably with the Pacific madrone are Oregon white oak, Canyon live oak, tan oak, chinquapin, California black oak, California laurel, white or Douglas fir, coast redwood or Ponderosa pine. In fact, this unique tree often becomes the nursemaid to young Douglas fir seedlings. |
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Use of Plant: Native Americans ate the fruits of the madrone uncooked. The wood is quite dense, making it difficult to work except by the skillful carpenter. Mexican caberellos were known to make their spurs from this wood because of the hardness and the beautiful color. Propagation: Nearly impossible to survive when dug in the wild. Culture: Superb as a single tree or in drifts. Does best in a south or west exposure, well drained. Do not over-water or fertilize. Salal does nicely below Madrone. A must for every garden. Mainly disease resistant, the madrone is sometimes afflicted with root rot, fungi or soot cankers. Historical and Special Interest: A curious natural deer repellant is produced during the time when the leaves are young and attractive to our forest friends. A liquid containing reduced sugars is secreted just at the tip of the leaf bud which attracts ants and flies. The presence of these insects renders those succulent leaves unpalatable to deer. |
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