Native Plant of the Month: Pacific Madroneby Nalini Nadkarni & Erica Guttman One of our favorite trees to encounter at this time of year is the Pacific madrone, a unique and aesthetically pleasing tree that graces the drier areas and exposed landscapes of our bioregion. What's in a Name? The scientific name for Pacific madrone is Arbutus menziesii. Arbutus (which is also used as another common name for the tree) is the Latin word for the strawberry tree, a tall shrub that grows in southern Europe, and whose red berries resemble strawberries. The specific name, menziesii, is after Archibald Menzies (1754-1842), a British naval surgeon and botanist on the Vancouver Expedition. Like the huckleberries profiled in April's column, Pacific madrone in a member of the Ericaceae, or Heath, family, a diverse group of plants with an unusually wide distribution. Two other species of madrone occur in the U.S., but these are restricted to very dry areas of the southwest. General Description Pacific madrone is extremely distinctive, as it is the only broad-leaved evergreen tree in our region. It also has unique papery bark, which shreds in irregular strips and ranges in color: lovely light green on the younger stems; reddish or orange; and, on older trunks, dark reddish-brown with gray squarish scales. The bark sheds during the summer, leaving a silky smooth surface that resembles eucalyptis trees. The rhododendron-like leaves are glossy green above and whitish green on the undersides, are about three to six inches long, with a distinct central rib. They are leathery to the touch, which may protect them from snacking by insects and mammals. Some of the leaves on young stems have saw-teeth at the edges, but as the plant matures, the margins become rounded and smooth. "Fall" comes early for the evergreen madrone: in June, the previous year's leaves turn orange and red. A new crop develops and the old leaves fall off. In May and early June, the tree bears drooping clusters of small white to pinkish bell-shaped flowers that closely resemble those of its close relatives, salal and manzanita. These showy, fragrant flowers provide nectar for honey bees and butterflies. Clusters of striking orange-red berry-like fruits develop in the autumn and hang on until the middle of winter. These pea-sized fruits have a strangely roughened outer skin, with a mealy pulp that surrounds a group of hard seeds. Many species of birds, including band-tailed pigeons and quail, make use of the fruits. The birds play an important role in propagating new madrones by defecating the hard seeds. Distribution and Ecology Madrone is found in coastal lowland areas from southern British Columbia to southern California, but is particularly common in the lowlands west of the Cascade Mountains in Washington and Oregon. Madrones require mild winters, but inhabit areas where the annual rainfall ranges from 150 to as low as 15 inches per year. Its presence generally indicates very well-drained soils, and it often occurs as the only tree on rocky outcrops in coastal areas. Its unique form of twisted branches and low stature grace dry rocky bluffs that overlook saltwater inlets; these trees often provide shade and convenient places to sit on beach walks in our region. Madrones are relatively long-lived -- often living 200 years or more. The growth form of the tree varies greatly with its habitat. In preferred habitat with well-drained soils, on an exposed sunny site, madrones can grow 30-80 feet tall with broad trunks up to two feet in diameter. The largest specimen (from northern California) is nearly 10 feet in diameter, with a crown spread of 126 feet. On extremely dry sites, especially on wind-swept areas of oceanic islands, however, even a very old individual may remain scraggly and shrub-like in appearance. Madrones are relatively common in many parts of Thurston County, including along marine bluffs and in association with oaks in more open and exposed areas near Yelm. Arthur Kruckeberg advises us to check the rocky bluffs of the San Juan and Gulf Islands to observe "magnificent specimens of truly oriental form." In the Landscape So beloved is this tree for its fine foliage, form, and brilliant colors of bark and fruit, that many gardeners are willing to put up with the "messy" shedding bark, leaves and fruit as well as the potential for leaf miner invasion or a leaf-spotting blight. Despite these drawbacks, in the right habitat, madrone is a popular and rewarding native ornamental that attracts birds and butterflies to home landscapes. Madrones are renowned for thriving on neglect. They require only rocky, well-drained soils and a western or southern exposure that allows them to absorb sunlight throughout the year. Although one tree can be crammed into a small garden, they are at their grandest when given room to flourish over time. Madrones are easily grown from seeds or cuttings, but are difficult to transplant from the numerous "volunteers" one finds in established gardens. They are extremely sensitive to air pollution, so they shouldn't be planted in polluted urban areas. Ethnobotany Northwest natives gathered and ate madrone berries and used the bark and leaves to make medicinal preparations to cure colds and stomach problems. Some groups made kitchen implements such as spoons and dippers from the roots. Madrone wood is extremely dense, and has a fine twisted grain. Independent wood workers make beautiful sculptures, bowls, and other "functional art" items from wood recovered from urban trees that have been cut by municipal workers. References Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest. A. Kruckeberg. 1982. University of Washington Press, Seattle, WA. Grow Your Own Native Landscape. M. Leigh. 1997. Native Plant Salvage Project/WSU Cooperative Extension -- Thurston County. Northwest Trees: Identifying & Understanding the Region's Native Trees. S.F. Arno & R.P. Hammerly. 1977. The Mountaineers, Seattle, WA. Plants and Animals of the Pacific Northwest. E. Kozloff. 1976. University of Washington Press, Seattle, WA. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. J. Pojar & A. MacKinnon. 1994. Lone Pine Publishing, Redmond, WA. Plants and Their Names. R. Hyam and R. Pankhurst. 1995. Oxford University Press, New York, NY. Nalini Nadkarni is a forest ecologist and faculty member at The Evergreen State College. Erica Guttman is the program coordinator of the Native Plant Salvage Project. Both are Green Pages staff writers.
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