madrone
Arbutus menziesii
USDA zones7 to 9
SunHandles full sun to partial shade
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size15 to 65 feet tall10 to 50 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Creamy white
- Foliage color
- Dark green above, silvery-green below
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Madrone (Arbutus menziesii) is a tree for specimen planting, accent, winter interest, and low maintenance gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 7, or down to 0°F (-18°C). This plant likes full sun to part shade and dry to moist, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. Its reddish-brown bark peels in thin flakes, and the fragrant white flowers draw hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. It sits low on the menu for deer. Plant it away from well-used areas because it is a messy tree.
Pairs well with Desert willow, Mountain laurel, and Stonecrop.
Native range
Western North America.