Madrones belong to a genus of small to medium-sized broadleaf evergreen trees native to Europe and Western North America, usually in semi-arid climates. Madrones are appreciated for their attractive, red, peeling bark, their small, bell-shaped flowers, and their brightly-colored, edible fruit.
One species is native to California, the pacific madrone, A. menziesii. This tree thrives in wet, rocky mountain slopes of the Sierras and coast ranges, but is difficult to grow in Sacramento. More commonly seen in our region are A. unedo and its hybrids, known collectively as strawberry trees. These trees grow fairly well in Sacramento with a low to moderate level of irrigation. Other species, such as Texas madrone, A. xalapensis, have also been planted in small numbers in local arboretums. Given the success of other species, it will be interesting to see how these perform and if they have a place in our planting palette.
One species is native to California, the pacific madrone, A. menziesii. This tree thrives in wet, rocky mountain slopes of the Sierras and coast ranges, but is difficult to grow in Sacramento. More commonly seen in our region are A. unedo and its hybrids, known collectively as strawberry trees. These trees grow fairly well in Sacramento with a low to moderate level of irrigation. Other species, such as Texas madrone, A. xalapensis, have also been planted in small numbers in local arboretums. Given the success of other species, it will be interesting to see how these perform and if they have a place in our planting palette.