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You are here >1Up Info > Wildlife, Animals, and Plants > Plant Species > Shrub > Species: Arbutus arizonica | Arizona Madrone
 

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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

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Information Courtesy: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. Fire Effects Information System

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