Urban Landscape, Native Landscape: Madrona in Seward Park

Friday, November 18, 2011

Madrona in Seward Park

Arbutus menziesii in Seward Park May 2011

Arbutus menziesii in Seward Park March 2011

Arbutus menziesii in Seward Park October 2011

There are many places in Seattle to see Arbutus menziesii (Madrona). Seward Park is one of the best sites. The largest number congregate on the south slope of the peninsula. Arbutus menziesii is found on the west coast of North America, from British Columbia to California. In California it is know as Madrone. Madrona & Madrone are derived from the Spanish word madroño, which is the common name for Arbutus unedo (Strawberry Tree) in that country. Arbutus menziesii was named for the Scottish naturalist Archibald Menzies, who took note of it while sailing in the area with Captain George Vancouver from 1792 to 1795. They circumnavigated Vancouver Island & explored Puget Sound, where the tree is widely distributed. It is restricted to dry & well-drained sites, usually south or west-facing slopes. It is a major component of Douglas Fir /Tanoak/Madrona (Pseudotsuga menziesii/Lithocarpus densiflorus/Arbutus menziesii) forests characterized by an overstory of Douglas Fir with Tanoak & Madrona sharing the secondary canopy in varying proportions. Madrona also mixes with Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) & Garry Oak (Quercus garryana). It surrounds the grove of Garry Oak in Seward Park. Arbutus menziesii is a broad-leaved, evergreen tree of up to 130 feet in height. Single or multiple curved trunks support a broad, spreading crown composed of heavy, irregularly-shaped limbs. The bark peels off in tightly curled strips. Once the outer bark is shed, the remaining bark has a smooth, polished appearance. The color of the new bark is pale green but darkens to orange with age. Older portions of the bark become brown & fissured. The urn-shaped flowers are borne in showy, terminal clusters. The fruit is a pea-sized berry consisting of mealy pulp and numerous seeds. Madrona is a member of the family Ericaceae. The bark & flowers are similar to Arctostaphylos (Manzanita) another Ericaceae family member.

1 comment:

Riz Reyes said...: Great shots of our spectacular Mandrone!; November 19, 2011 at 10:31 AM

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This blog began in 2008 as Metropolitan Gardens to provide information on gardening in Seattle & places like it. Click on Gardening in Cascadia. The blog expanded to include Parks P-Patches Public Gardens in the US, Canada & Europe. Then Nature was added. (The difference between nature & gardens is intent. Nature happens. Gardens are planned.) Many recent posts are not about Seattle, or even Cascadia. They are Urban Landscape: streetscape & architecture. Cascadia is the region including the Cascade Mountains of Washington & Oregon. If you want to contact the blogger, leave a message in comments. Comments are moderated & private messages will not be posted.

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