Fauna
Plant

Pacific Madrone

Arbutus menziesii

Also known as Madrona, Madrone, Arbutus, Pacific Madrona

Pacific madrone is a stunning broadleaf evergreen renowned for its smooth, chartreuse inner wood that reveals itself each summer when paper-thin red bark curls and sheds. Its twisted, sculptural limbs twist upward toward canopy openings along coastal bluffs, bearing dense clusters of urn-shaped white blossoms that feed springtime pollinators. By autumn, large clusters of rough-textured orange-red berries provide an essential energy source for overwintering and migrating birds.

EvergreenFloweringPeeling Bark
Pacific Madrone reference1 / 7
(c) J Straka, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by J Straka · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotrophic
Predators
  • Madrone twig borer
  • Canker fungus
  • Black-tailed deer
ThreatsFungal cankers, root compaction, fire suppression, and habitat development
HabitatsCoastal bluffs, rocky slopes, and dry mixed-conifer forests
Life span200–400 years
Classification
  1. OrderEricales
  2. FamilyEricaceae
  3. GenusArbutus
  4. SpeciesArbutus menziesii
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Wild berries have toxic look-alikes; never eat based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Bark Etiquette: Avoid pulling shedding bark curls off the trunk, as premature peeling damages delicate cambium.
  • Root Care: Stay on marked paths to avoid compacting the shallow, pathogen-sensitive root zone.
  • Birding: Scan the upper canopy during late autumn to spot thrushes and waxwings gathering fruit.
Related species
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