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Madrone: Arbutus spp. Ericaceae |
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Madrone: Arbutus spp. Ericaceae |
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The genus Arbutus contains about 15 species with 5 in North America and about 10 in Europe and western Asia. The name arbutus is the classical Latin name of Arbutus unedo L., strawberry madrone, of southern Europe.
Arbutus arizonica Arizona madrone, Arizona madroño, madroña
Arbutus menziesii* arbuti tree, coast madrone, laurel, laurelwood, madroña, madroña burr, madrone, madrone laurel, madrone tree, madroño, madroña, manzanita, Pacific madrone, strawberry-tree Arbutus texana laurel, madroña, madrone, madrone tree, manzanita,
Texas madrone, Texas madroño
Arbutus unedo strawberry tree (Europe)
*commercial species
The following data are for Arbutus menziesii.
Distribution: Southwestern British Columbia and southward through Washington, Oregon and California in the coastal mountains and wet slopes of the Sierra Nevada.
The Tree: Pacific madrone grows to 80 ft (24 m) tall, with a diameter of 2 to 3 ft (0.6 to
1 m). It has orange branches with shiny leaves, small white flowers in clusters, and orange– red fruits.
General Wood Characteristics: Pacific madrone sapwood is a pinkish-cream color, while the heartwood is light pink to red-brown with patches of deep red. It resembles fruit woods in color and texture.
Weighta |
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Moisture content |
Specific gravity |
Weight |
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lb/ft3 |
kg/m3 |
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Green 12% Ovendry |
0.58 |
60 |
961 721 NA |
aReference (59). |
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Mechanical propertiesa
Property |
Green |
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Dry |
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MOE |
0.88 x 106 lbf/in2 |
6.0667 GPa |
1.23 x 106 lbf/in2 |
8.481 GPA |
MOR |
7.60 x 103 lbf/in2 |
52.402 MPa |
10.4 x 103 lbf/in2 |
71.708 MPa |
C| | |
3.32 x 103 lbf/in2 |
22.891 MPa |
6.88 x 103 lbf/in2 |
47.438MPa |
C ⊥ |
0.78 x 103 lbf/in2 |
5.378 MPa |
1.62 x 103 lbf/in2 |
11.170 MPa |
WML |
11.2 in-lbf/in3 |
77.224 kJ/m3 |
8.8 in-lbf/in3 |
60.676 kJ/m3 |
Hardness |
940 lbf |
4,181.12 N |
1,460 lbf |
6,494.08 N |
Shear| | |
1.42 x 103 lbf/in2 |
9.791 MPa |
1.81 x 103 lbf/in2 |
12.480 MPa |
aReference (59).
Drying and shrinkagea
Type of shrinkage |
Percentage of shrinkage |
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0% MC |
6% MC |
20% MC |
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Tangential |
12.4 |
9.9 |
4.1 |
Radial |
5.6 |
4.5 |
1.9 |
Volumetric |
18.1 |
14.5 |
6.0 |
aPacific madrone is difficult to season because it warps and checks easily. Schedules for drying the wood green from the saw have been published (30,93). Smith (88) suggests air drying, followed by kiln drying.
bReferences: 0% MC (98), 6% and 20% MC (90).
Kiln drying schedulea
4/4, 5/4, 6/4 8/4 10/4 12/4 16/4
Condition stock stock stock stock stock
Standard T4-B2 T3-B1 NA NA NA
aReferences (6, 86).
Working Properties: Pacific madrone works well with all tools and polishes well, but it is not easily glued. The wood is easily worked with tools and compares with hard maple and eastern white oak in ease of machining (25). Work at the Forest Products Laboratory has indicated that rotary cutting of veneer is feasible (84).
Durability: The wood is nonresistant to heartwood decay; fence posts had an average service life of 6 years in the untreated condition (36).
Preservation: No information available at this time.
Uses: Turnery, bowls, novelties, souvenirs, tool handles, mathematical instruments, furniture and bowls. Burls are used for pipes and decorative veneers; charcoal for gunpowder.
Toxicity: No information available at this time. Additional Reading: 29, 55, 67, 68, 74, 83.
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