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| ## Pacific madrone {#pacific-madrone .Title-Header}                   |
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| *Arbutus menziesii* Pursh                                             |
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| Plant Symbol = ARME                                                   |
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*Contributed by: USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center*

# Alternate Names

Madrone madroño, madroña, bearberry, strawberry tree

# Uses

*Ethnobotanic*: In his diary of the Portolá expedition of 1769, Pedro
Fages (1937:59) lists madrone as one of the foods of the Salinan. The
Salinan, Miwok, Pomo, and other California tribes have long used the
berries of Pacific madrone for food and to make cider. Berries within
reach were hand picked and placed into baskets. The higher branches were
shaken or hit with a long stick to knock off the berries into a basket
held below or onto a cleared area of ground beneath the tree. The
gathered berries were eaten fresh, made into cider, or cooked and dried
for later use. Fresh berries were eaten in small quantities (Bocek 1984)
probably because the high tannin content makes them astringent. The
Miwok chewed the fresh or dried berries for flavor but did not swallow
them (Barrett & Gifford 1933; Moerman 1998). Most often, the berries
were used to make unfermented cider. The berries were first pounded into
a course meal. The meal was placed into a straining basket, which was
placed over another basket that was so tightly woven it could hold
water. Water was poured into another watertight basket in which rocks,
heated in the coals of a fire, were added. The rocks were constantly
stirred to keep the basket from burning. The heated water was then
poured over the meal until the entire flavor was extracted from the
berries.

Berries were strung to make necklaces, and leaves and berries were used
as decorations (Moerman 1998). The berries were also used as bait to
catch steelhead. ![](media/image2.jpeg){width="3.0444444444444443in"
height="2.217361111111111in"}

The Miwok and the Cahuilla chewed the leaves to treat cramps and
stomachaches (Barrett & Gifford 1933; Bean & Saubel 1972). Many tribes
used an infusion of madrone bark to treat sores on the skin. The Pomo
made a tannic tea from the bark that was used to wash sores, but not
poison oak (Goodrich et al. 1980). However, it is probable that the
Salinan taught the Padres at Mission San Antonio de Padua how to use the
berries and leaves of Pacific madrone and the related manzanita to make
a wash used for treating poison oak (Heinsen 1972). Bark tea was drunk
to treat colds and sore throats. Pomo women used an infusion of the bark
as an astringent beauty wash to close the pores and soften the skin on
their faces.

*Wildlife*: Pacific madrone trees provide edible berries and habitat for
many bird species including robins, cedar waxwings and bandtailed
pigeons, varied thrush, and quail. The trees provide perches and nesting
places for many bird species. Cavity nesting birds that utilize Pacific
madrone are red-breasted sapsuckers, woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers,
mountain chickadees, house wrens, and western bluebirds (McMurray 1989).
Mule deer, raccoons, ringtails, and bears eat the berries. Mule deer do
not generally browse on mature leaves except during times of scarcity of
other foliage. However, after fire the plants will sprout up with new
shoots that are eaten by mule deer as well as domestic sheep, goats, and
cattle. The flowers attract bees.

*Erosion control*: Pacific madrone can prevent erosion in sites that
experience frequent disturbance. The plants have a widely spreading root
system and they quickly reestablish after disturbance by re-sprouting
from the stump or underground burl (McMurray 1989).

*Other*: The dense, fine-grained, wood is heavy and brittle. It has been
used for flooring and cabinets but is generally unsuitable for use in
construction because it does not dry uniformly and can crack and split.
Pacific madrone does make a beautiful veneer and is used for pulp and
firewood. Charcoal made from madrone wood has been used in the past as a
component in gunpowder (Parsons 1966). The bark was sometimes used for
tanning leather.

# Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status (e.g. threatened or endangered
species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

# Description

######## General: Heath family (Ericaceae). Pacific madrone is an evergreen tree that is native to the northwestern Coast Ranges of North America. The trees have single or multiple trunks with rounded, spreading crowns. Mature trees reach heights of 6m to 30m or more depending on environmental conditions. The alternately arranged leaves are oval, (7 to 15 cm long), thick, and have finely serrated margins. The leaf surfaces are glossy dark green above with lighter grayish green beneath. Leaves remain on the plant for two years before they are shed. The striking cinnamon red bark is thin and smooth. The bark on young branches peels in large papery flakes to reveal an attractive, satiny green surface beneath that darkens with time to deep red. In midsummer, the exfoliated bark, along with shed leaves in shades of red to orange, form a lovely colorful carpet beneath the tree canopy (Saunders 1923). Fragrant bell-shaped flowers appear in large, showy clusters at the ends of the branches during the spring, from March through May, but sometimes as early as January. The flowers (8mm) are yellowish-white to pink and consist of 5 fused petals. The fruits are loose clusters of bumpy, scarlet red berries (8 to 12mm) that contain a mealy pulp and about 20 hard seeds. The genus was named from the Celtic word "arboise," which means rough fruit (Young & Young 1992). The early Spanish Californians named the tree "madroño" after the strawberry tree (Arbutus unido), which grows in Spain and other nearby Mediterranean countries (Parsons 1966). The edible fruits ripen from the early fall until December or January. 

*Distribution*: Pacific madrone is native to the West Coast of North
America and occurs from the Southern Coast Ranges of California to
British Columbia in the north from 100 to 1500 m. Occasional populations
are found in the Sierra Nevada Range at middle elevations. For current
distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on
the PLANTS Web site.

*Habitat*: Pacific madrone is found on wooded slopes and canyons in oak,
redwood, and mixed evergreen forests as well as in chaparral
communities. The trees are commonly associated with other species and
rarely occur in pure stands.

# Adaptation

These trees are adapted to humid coastal sites as well as dry foothill
slopes and canyons in areas with dry summers and mild winters. They grow
on soils with low nitrogen and low moisture content.

# Establishment

The Pacific madrone is a spectacular tree. Its showy bark, flowers and
berries along with the gracefully crooked branches inspired Bret Harte
to compose a poem about its loveliness (see Parsons 1966). But, alas,
they can be difficult to grow. These trees should only be planted in
very well drained soils in areas with non-alkaline water. Although
generally started from seed, Pacific madrone may also be propagated from
cuttings, grafting, or layers.

To start from seed, gather the fruits from the trees when they are
ripe---generally from October to December. Soften the berries by soaking
them in water and then separate the seeds from the pulp. Completely dry
the seeds before storing. Dried seeds may be stored for up to 2 years at
room temperature. For best germination, use seeds that have been
stratified by pre-chilling for one to two months at 2 to 5 degrees C.
Plant the seeds, in either spring or fall, in containers that have been
filled with a mix of peat, sand, and gravel. Allow the seedlings to
reach at least two feet in height before transplanting. Established
trees can live up to 200 years or more and do not transplant well, so
select a site where the tree can remain permanently. Choose a place with
full sun to partial shade well away from lawns and other plants that
require summer watering. Deeply irrigate the seedlings once a month
during the summer months until established. Do not splash water upon the
trunk or leaves while watering, as the trees are susceptible to fungus
that resides in the soil. Once established, the trees will require only
infrequent, deep irrigation during unusually dry summers. The trees
develop an underground, woody organ called a 'burl' that re-sprouts if
the stem is destroyed.

# Management

In areas managed for conifer timber production, Pacific madrone has been
considered a "weedy" tree species. This is because it can out-compete
replanting of timber species because of its ability to resprout from its
stump or burl after disturbance. Interestingly, there is some evidence
that Pacific madrone can facilitate growth of Douglas fir at some sites
(McMurray 1989).

In natural areas, the situation is reversed from that of timber
production areas. Pacific madrone depends on periodic fire to reduce the
shading resulting from the closing conifer overstay. Fire suppression
causes Pacific madrone to be out-competed by species that can better
tolerate shade. Currently Pacific madrone is declining in many of these
areas due to infrequent fires and other factors including drought,
insects, and pathogens.

# Pests and Potential Problems

Insect pests include aphids, caterpillars, woodborers, and Madrone
psyllid. The trees are susceptible to several fungal infections, which
cause leaf diseases, root rot, and crown rot (Labadie 1978). Pacific
madrone is also affected by "sudden oak death" caused by the introduced
fungus, *Phytophthora*.

To keep trees healthy, apply a thick layer of mulch to the root zone
area beneath the crown and do not garden or compact this area in any
way, avoid frequent irrigation, prune only from June to September (when
the fungus and insects are less active), and fertilize if the tree shows
signs of deficiency (Švihra et al. 2001).

# Environmental Concerns

Pacific madrone has been declining within its range in the Pacific
Northwest in both urban and managed areas over the last 20 years
(Bergendorf & Chalker-Scott 2001). The exact causes of the decline are
unknown, but probably do to a combination of factors including soil
compactions, fire suppression, drought, and introduced diseases.

# Seed and Plant Production

Pacific madrone is a prolific seed producer, which produces seed every
year from the age of three to five years. One pound of seeds will
produce approximately 1,000 plants (McMurray 1989). However, seedlings
grow slowly and are highly susceptible to mortality.

# References

Barrett, S.A. & E.W. Gifford 1933. *Miwok material culture: Indian life
of the Yosemite region.* Bulletin of Milwaukee Public Museum Vol. 2, No.
4. Yosemite Association, Yosemite National Park, CA. 388 pp.

Bean, L.J. & K. S. Saubel 1972. *Temalpakh (from the earth): Cahuilla
Indian knowledge and usage of plants.* Malki Museum Press, Morongo
Indian Reservation. 225 pp.

Bergendor, D. & L. Chalker-Scott 2001. *Soil bulk density and health of
Pacific madrone.* HortScience Vol. 36, No. 3, Pp. 529.

Bocek, B.R. 1984. *Ethnobotany of Costanoan Indians, California, based
on collections by John P. Harrington.* Economic Botany, Vol. 38, No. 2.
Pp. 240-255.

Brenzel, K.N., Editor 2001. *Western garden book*. Sunset Publishing
Corp., Menlo Park, California. 768 pp.

Goodrich, J., C. Lawson & V.P. Lawson 1980. *Kashaya Pomo Plants*.
Heyday Books, Berkeley, California. 171 pp.

Heinsen, V. 1972. *Mission San Antonio de Padua* *Herbs: Medicinal herbs
of early days*. Third edition. Lockwood, California. 142 pp.

Hewlett, W.R. 1999. *Arbutus menziesii*. California Academy of Sciences.
Digital Library Project, University of California, Berkeley. \[Online\].
Available: http://www.calflora.org. Accessed \[15 December 2001\].

Labadie, E.L. 1978. *Native plants for use in the California landscape.*
Sierra City Press, Sierra City, California. 248 pp.

McMurrray, N.E. 1989. *Arbutus menziesii*. In: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire
Sciences Laboratory 2001, May. *Fire Effects Information System*,
\[Online\]. Available: <http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/>. \[20
October 2001\].

Moerman, D.E. 1998 *Native American ethnobotany*. Timber Press,
Portland, Oregon. 927 pp.

Parsons, M. E. 1966. *The wild flowers of California.* Dover
Publications, Inc., New York, New York. 425 pp.

Saunders, C.F. 1923. *With the flowers and trees in California.* Robert
M. McBride & Company, New York, New York. 286 pp.

Schmidt, M.G. 1980. *Growing California native plants.* University of
California Press, Berkeley, California. 366 pp.

Wallace, G.D. 1993. *Ericaceae, Heath family.* In: Hickman, J.D.,
Editor. *The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California.* University of
California Press, Berkeley, California. Pp.544-545.

Young, J. A. & C.G. Young 1992. *Seeds of woody plants in North
America.* Dioscorides Press, Portland, Oregon. Pp.248-266.

# Prepared By: 

######## Diana L. Immel

USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center, c/o Plant Science Department,
University of California, Davis, California

# Species Coordinator: 

##### *M. Kat Anderson*

USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center, c/o Plant Science Department,
University of California, Davis, California

##### 

##### Edited: 05apr02 ahv; 17mar03 ahv; 30may06jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

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