Friday Eco-Fact: The Unique Red Skinned Madrone Tree

For people that have hiked in west Texas they have undoubtedly spotted trees this tree with red skin:

I was quite surprised when I first saw this tree because I have never seen a tree with such red skin before.  It kind of reminded me of a red skinned version of an Australian snow gum tree.  After some research I found out that this tree is called a Madrone Tree with the scientific name of “arbutus xalapensis”.  I have only seen this tree grow in West Texas and have never seen it in New Mexico though it supposedly grows in some areas there.  The tree is supposedly found in some isolated pockets of the Texas Hill Country as well.  The range of this tree also extends down into the Chihuahua Desert areas of Mexico as well.

Much like the previously mentioned Australian snow gum tree the madrone also sheds it skin.  The tree needs to shed its old skin to grow.  As the skin drys to peel off its turns slowly from a creme to a yellowish color, than a brilliantly red color, and finally a chocolate color before falling off.  As the skin peels offs it reveals a new layer of creme colored skin.  The madrone blossoms in the spring with white flowers before revealing reddish berries in the spring that are a popular meal for local wildlife and long ago a source of vitamin C for the nomadic Mescalero Apache Indians that once frequented this area.

The Texas Forest Service’s records state that the largest madrone tree in Texas is 45-feet high with a 70-inch girth and 30-foot crown. This tree was discovered in the Chisos Mountains of West Texas.  As big as this tree is the majority of the madrone trees reach a maximum height of 15-25 feet.  The best place to view these trees is to take a hike in Texas’ Guadalupe National Park where Madrone Trees can be found growing all around the park.