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Arbutus menziesii
An evergreen which sheds its bark in thin sheets. It is common to see madronas of about 10 to 25 metres (33 to 82 ft) in height, but with the right conditions trees may reach up to 30 metres (98 ft). In ideal conditions madronas can also reach a thickness of 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.4 m) at the trunk, much like an oak tree. Leaves are thick with a waxy texture.
Spotted growing out of the hillside next to the beach at Priest Point Park. This is common around Puget Sound - the root system of these trees are extremely strong allowing the tree to seemingly defy gravity and hang over hillsides. These trees provide great habitat and food (berries) for many species of birds.
Native Americans ate the berries, but because the berries have a high tannin content and are thus astringent, they more often chewed them or made them into a cider. They also used the berries to make necklaces and other decorations, and as bait for fishing. Bark and leaves were used to treat stomachaches, cramps, skin ailments, and sore throats. The bark was often made into a tea to be drunk for these medicinal purposes. The wood is durable and has a warm color after finishing, so it has become more popular as a flooring material, especially in the Pacific Northwest. An attractive veneer can also be made from the wood. Madrone is burned for firewood though, since it is a very hard and dense wood that burns long and hot, surpassing even oak in this regard.
Spotted on Mar 9, 2018
Submitted on Mar 13, 2018
17 Comments
Thank you Felix.
Congrats, Brian!
Thank you Christine.
Awesome! Congratulations Brian!
Thank you subhojit.
Thank you very much Daniele and Antonio! I am truly honored. And also a thank you to the rest of the Project Noah rangers.
Perfect spotting Brian,great info ,i like very much the series,because show all the diferents aspects of the tree,good work,congrats on the well deserved SOTW and thanks for sharing
Congratulations Brian, your madrona has been voted Spotting of the Week! The completeness of your spotting as well as the quality of information (including cultural) your provided about a native tree species won you the vote.
"This impressive Pacific Madrona (Arbutus menziesii) has been voted Spotting of the Week! We don't feature trees often enough on Project Noah, yet trees play an essential role in maintaining all ecosystems. The Pacific Madrona is native to the western coastal areas of North America. The trunk and branches of this evergreen tree are wrapped in bark that peels away in summer, revealing lighter colors underneath. The Pacific Madrona provides great habitat and food (berries) for many species of birds, and its blossoms provide nectar for hummingbirds, native bees, and other pollinators.
To learn more about this tree: https://buff.ly/2IxDWrY "
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Thank you Maria and Larry for your comments.
Nice spotting!
Thank you Daniele for the nomination.
Interesting information and very nice spotting!
Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated Brian!
Your welcome, Brian38....
Thank you maplemoth.
Photos No. 2, and 4: are very pretty, tree photos....
Photo No. 1: is a very pretty, landscape photo....