Not All Hardwoods Lose Their Leaves
Here's something that surprised me when I first learned it: not all hardwood trees lose their leaves in the fall.
Pacific madrone is both a hardwood and an evergreen. While I'm used to working with maple, oak, and cherry — all of which go bare every winter — madrone keeps its thick, leathery green leaves year-round. Oregon State University's Oregon Wood Innovation Center actually calls it out specifically as a broadleaved evergreen, which breaks the rule most of us learned somewhere along the way.
Easy to Spot on the Trail
And if you've ever hiked in the Pacific Northwest, you've probably spotted madrone without even knowing its name. That striking reddish-orange bark that peels away in strips and flakes — sometimes revealing bright green bark underneath — is one of the most distinctive things you'll see in an Oregon forest. Henri and I have stopped on more than one trail just to look at it.
How Big — and How Old — Do They Get?
Madrone trees can live for well over 200 years, and mature trees typically reach 20 to 50 feet tall, though some old-growth specimens push past 100 feet. They tend to grow in a wonderfully irregular, twisting way — no two look quite alike, which makes them a favorite subject for photographers and painters out here in the Northwest.
A Few Things That Make Madrone Remarkable
A couple of things I find especially interesting: madrone is one of the few trees that can resprout from its root system after a wildfire, making it surprisingly resilient. And its berries — small, bright red-orange clusters that appear in fall — are a favorite food source for birds like band-tailed pigeons and varied thrushes. So the tree gives back to the forest even after the growing season ends.
The Wood Itself
The wood is hard, strong, and exceptionally resistant to breakage. Those are qualities that have made it useful for furniture, flooring, and joinery — and honestly, qualities I appreciate every time I work with Pacific Northwest hardwoods.
Nature doesn't always follow the rules, and I think that's part of what makes these trees so interesting.
Source: Oregon State University — Oregon Wood Innovation Center, Pacific Madrone