Washington Native Plant Society: Starflower Image Herbarium

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Arbutus menziesii

Madrone

At a Glance: An attractive broadleaf evergreen with a twisting reddish trunk and irregular branches with an overall rounded outline.

Height: Up to 100 feet (30 meters).
Growth Form: Tree.
Stems: Young bark is chartreuse green and smooth while older bark is brownish-red with thin peeling scales.
Leaves: The alternate, evergreen leaves are dark shiny green on top and whitish-green below. Additionally leaves are hairless and have a leathery texture. Shape: oval to oblong and tape to a point; size: 15 cm (6 in) long, 6-8 cm (2.25-3.25 in) across.
Flowers: The small pinkish-white, bell-shaped flowers are arranged in large drooping clusters and are fragrant. Each flower has 10 anthers, a superior ovary and 5 sepals fused at the base. Flower size ranges from 6-7 mm long.
Flowering Period: April.
Fruits: Small, round, orange-red berries with a finely granular texture. Berries are approximately 1 cm across.


Photo © 2003, Starflower Foundation

Sun/Shade Tolerance	Hydrology	Elevation Range
Prefers open sites with little shade. full sun > 80% mostly sunny 60%-80% partial sun and shade 40%- 60% mostly shady 60%-80% full shade > 80%	Prefers drier, shallow soils. wet moist dry Wetland Indicator Status: NI (no indicator data)	low elevation mid elevation sub-alpine high elevation

Soil Preferences
Found in rocky sites with coarse-textured soils
sandy soils gravelly soils clay soils muddy soils peaty soils	well drained soils shallow soils deep soils acidic soils basic soils	humic soils nutrient rich soils nutrient poor soils mineral soils organic soils

Habitat Preferences
Aquatic and Wetland: Ponds or lakes Shallow pools Sloughs Swales or wet ditches Seasonally inundated areas Marshes or swamps Aquatic bed wetlands Emergent wetlands Scrub-shrub wetlands Forested wetlands Bogs, fens Seeps, springs Shorelines and Riparian: Lake shores Bog margins Streams or rivers Stream or river banks Riparian corridors River bars Floodplains Bottomlands Alluvial areas	Saltwater Areas: In or near saltwater Mud flats Tidal areas Estuaries Saltmarshes Brackish water Seashores Coastal dunes or beaches Rocky or Gravelly Areas: Coastal bluffs Cliffs Rocky slopes Outcrops Crevices Glacial outwash Gullies Slide areas Sub-alpine and Alpine: Heaths Snow beds Tundra Avalanche tracks	Forests and Thickets: Forests and woods Open forests Coniferous forests Old growth forests Deciduous forests Mixed forests Nurse logs Forest edges, openings, or clearings Thickets Meadows and Fields: Pastures or fields Meadows or grassy areas Mossy areas Disturbed Areas: Roadsides Trailsides Logged sites Burned areas Disturbed sites

Wildlife Value
Berries Seeds Nectar for hummingbirds Nectar for butterflies Host for insect larvae Thickets and shelter Thorny or protective cover	Birds: The fruit is eaten by band-tailed pigeons, quail, flickers, varied thrushes, waxwings, evening grosbeaks, mourning doves, and robins. Insects: The flowers are pollinated by spring azure butterflies and bees. Madrone is a larval plant for the ceanothus silk moth and the brown elfin butterfly. Mammals: The fruit is eaten by raccoons and other mammals.

Ethnobotanical Uses and Other Facts

(data not available)

Suggested References

Link, R. 1999. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 252.
Pojar, J., A. Mackinnon. 1994. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 49.

The landscaping and restoration information provided on this page is taken from Starflower Foundation Image Herbarium. All photographs © Starflower Foundation unless otherwise noted.