Arbutus menziesii (Pacific Madrone)

Pacific madrone is one of the most visually distinctive trees native to the Pacific Coast, and arguably the most beautiful broadleaf evergreen tree in the Pacific Northwest. What makes it unmistakable is the bark: cinnamon-red to orange on mature wood, peeling away each summer to reveal smooth, cool green underneath that slowly warms to gold and terra cotta. This annual bark-shedding is functional as well as beautiful, helping the tree shed epiphytes and retain warmth. Paired with glossy, leathery leaves, clusters of white urn-shaped spring flowers, and bright orange-red berries in fall, this is a tree that offers genuine year-round interest.

The berries are eaten by a long list of birds including band-tailed pigeons, waxwings, varied thrushes, flickers, robins, and evening grosbeaks, making madrone a significant wildlife tree across the region. Hummingbirds and bees work the flowers heavily in spring. Growing a Pacific madrone is, in some respects, growing a bird sanctuary. Here on the Oregon coast, where this tree is part of the native landscape, seeing one established in a garden is a direct connection to the region's ecological character.

Madrone is notoriously particular about establishment and genuinely not a plant for every site. It requires excellent drainage, relatively poor (not enriched) soil, and minimal root disturbance. It grows best from locally-sourced stock and should not be moved once planted. It forms mycorrhizal relationships with specific soil fungi that are essential to its health.