BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Arbutus arizonica | Arizona Madrone 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Arizona madrone is a native, broadleaf, evergreen tree or shrub [11].
Stout, spreading branches form a compact, round-topped crown [21].  It
grows 19 to 50 feet (6-15 m) tall with a diameter of 18 to 24 inches
(46-61 cm) [11,21,22,28].  The bark is smooth, thin, and peels off in
sheets [7,11,21].  Thick, oblong leaves are leathery, and 2 to 3 inches
(5-7.2 cm) long.  The fruit is a mealy, sweet berry.  The berry contains
many seeds [25,27,28].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Phanerophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Arizona madrone reproduces sexually by seed.  Fleshy, bright-colored
fruits may be animal disseminated as are the fruits of another madrone
species (Arbutus unedo) [10,16].  There was no indication of vegetative
reproduction by Arizona madrone found in the literature.  Other species
of this same genus sprout from the root crown after cutting or burning.
Arbutus unedo sprouts from a large lignotuber and grows relatively
rapidly; Pacific madrone responds similarly [10,14,15].  Arizona madrone
grows slowly [27].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Arizona madrone is found in mesic canyons, on lower slopes, and mountain
sides [1].  It occurs on well-drained, gravelly, and sunny sites [7,28].
Arizona madrone is confined to moist riparian areas at low elevations
(1,600 to 2,200 feet [487-671 m]) but occurs more commonly at elevations
from 4,000 to 8,000 feet (1,219-2,438 m) [6,11,28,30].  It occurs on a
variety of soils formed from resideual or colluvial parent materials
[33].  Arizona madrone is often on open, north-facing or intermediate
east- and west-facing slopes.  In the Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona,
its highest frequency (23 percent) was on north-facing slopes [30].

The climate is semiarid to arid with bimodal rainy seasons (July to
September and December to March) [1,5,30].  Rainfall is variable with
mean annual precipitation from 11 to 20 inches (280-500 mm).

Common associated species are New Mexico locust (Robina neomexicana),
silverleaf oak (Quercus hypoleucoides), netleaf oak (Q. rugosa), Apache
pine (Pinus engelmannii), and Chihuahua pine (Pinus leiophylla var.
chihuahuana) [5,6,24,29,32].  Other associated species are longtongue
muhly (Muhlenbergia longiligula) and New Mexico groundsel(Senecio
neomexicanus) [33].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Little information was found in the literature about the successional
status of Arizona madrone.  It reportedly occurs as a mid- to late seral
species [32].  Based upon the performance of other members of this
genus, Arizona madrone is most likely a facultative seral species.
Another madrone species (Arbutus unedo) that holds a similar ecological
role in Corsican woodlands is a mid-successional species [16].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
New leaves of Arizona madrone are put out in May and again after the
summer rains; these leaves persist about 1 year [21].  Arizona madrone
flowers from April to May or June [3,11,28].  Fruits ripen October
through November [21,28].

Related categories for Species: Arbutus arizonica | Arizona Madrone