Bark Of The Pacific Madrone

Day 48: The Pacific Madrone, aka Madrona or Arbutus (Arbutus menziesii) is one of the easiest species to identify, thanks to its unusual habit of shedding its rusty orange colored outer bark each year, revealing new and distinctive chartreuse bark underneath. A species which prefers a coastal environment, this lovely tree is at the edge of its growing area at the point where this photo was taken. It bears red berries in late autumn, a favorite with many species of birds. The bark and leaves were used medicinally by tribal peoples in the coastal regions.