Arbutus menziesii Pursh. Madrone
Native to western N. America from British Columbia south to California and named after its first discoverer Archibald Menzies who described it in 1792. Grown in gardens in western and southern Europe. Height may reach 30m (100ft) in native environment, but usually 6-9m (20-30ft) in cultivation. Flowers open in May in an upright cluster from 7.5-23cm (3-9in) long, each flower about 0.5cm (¼in). Fruits are about 1cm (½in) across, orange-red and produced in bunches of 12-15. Leaves are toothed on young vigorous growth, but leaves from mature growth are untoothed. Bark peels to expose smooth clean pink-orange wood and has been used in tanning leather. Z7.