Pacific madrone
Arbutus menziesii 路 Ericaceae 路 also Madrone, Madrona, Arbutus
A broadleaf evergreen with smooth cinnamon-red bark that peels in papery sheets to reveal pale green new bark, glossy leathery leaves, clusters of white urn-shaped flowers in spring and orange-red berries in fall that robins, waxwings and band-tailed pigeons devour. Trees lean and twist toward light on rocky coastal slopes. It is beloved but notoriously hard to establish and dies if a lawn is irrigated around it; plant it small and leave it alone.
Where it stands
Native
- 馃嚚馃嚘 BC, Canada 路 Southwestern British Columbia; Canada's only native broadleaf evergreen tree.source
- 馃嚭馃嚫 CA, United States 路 California Coast Ranges and Sierra foothills.source
- 馃嚭馃嚫 OR, United States 路 Oregon Coast Range and Willamette Valley margins.source
- 馃嚭馃嚫 WA, United States 路 Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands.source
Care
Plant a small seedling in fall in a sunny, sharply drained, unirrigated spot; transplant mortality rises steeply once trees are over a foot tall. Water lightly only the first summer, never fertilize, and do not disturb the roots. Prune minimally in dry weather. Leaf blights, cankers, Phytophthora root rot and sudden oak death are the chief problems and are worsened by summer watering; it drops bark, leaves and fruit year-round.
Benefits
Good for