Interesting and Unique Plant that CAN Sunburn

[LovelyLadyLux]

As I was waiting to get onto the Ferry I was out doing walkabout with camera in hand and came across what is known in the Pacific Northwest/Canada as "Arbutus Trees" also known as Madronna Trees in other areas of the world (particularly the USA). They are significant in that they are the ONLY evergreen tree indigenous to this area and this particular part of Canada is the end of their habitat.



Their leaves are hard and glossy - somewhat similar to laurel and they produce a bract of flowers that turns into berries.



As these trees shed their bark the new bark underneath is green.



They are unable to grow alone and need to grow amongst other trees so as to prevent their delicate bark from burning. I've never tried to transplant and grow one but rumour or folklore has it that if you cut their root at all they won't survive.

When the old bark shrivels and falls off the new bark underneath is green however as it matures and hardens off it turns a reddish brown



I've always found these trees quite beautiful and find it interesting that they are unable to grow without 'help' from other trees.

Not sure if these trees are found in the UK. Where I'm at in Canada and on the island the weather is temperate enough to allow them to grow.

Any unique plants in your area????????? Share with photos please!!!

[Horus]

That was a particularly interesting little snippet LLL, it certainly looks a nice tree and it has such a thin bark, it reminds me of a Eucalyptus tree (I know it isn’t) but it has a similar flaky bark. It is a great texture and if it were me I would get myself some close up pictures of the bark and save them in a ‘Textures’ folder on your PC for possible future use as a background to something else. I think that the word is symbiosis when one plant or organism relies on another in order to exist, but quite why this would need other trees to survive is a mystery to me, its leaves closely resemble our Rhododendron bushes that are themselves naturalised escapees from Himalayan plant collections. Usually when leaves are glossy it is an attempt to conserve water, do the leaves ooze a milky sap if damaged?

[Ruby Slippers]

LLL, they grow in Portugal too. They make a powerful spirit out of the berries which is called 'Medronho' - funnily enough! It's like liquid fire!

[Horus]

Sign of a mis-spent youth if you ask me RS

[LovelyLadyLux]

Not sure if the leaves ooze milk and very interesting these are found in Portugal. Not that I've tried the berries but apparently they are edible but quite blah. Have never seen a recipe for jam etc and never knew about the "white lightening" brew they can produce. if you have a brew formula RS you could very easily start a lucrative new trend!

The berries hang in clusters and remind me of the young berries hanging from Palm trees



Never thought about saving photos of the bark in a textures category but now you've suggested it I'll have to get some more and make me a file H.