How to Germinate Madrone Trees

Madrone trees are a common sight in Washington.

The madrone tree (Arbutus spp.) doesn't particularly care for cultivation. It thrives in nature without human interference and gardeners who try to grow it in the residential landscape quickly learn that it is not easily tamed. One of the more commonly grown species is menziesii, or Pacific madrone, prevalent along the Pacific Coast from California to Washington. Properly prepared seeds germinate readily but seedling growth is quite slow. Germinate madrone seeds in late fall or early winter.

Things You'll Need

• Sand or peat moss
• Plastic container or bag
• Peat pots or other biodegradable containers
• Seed starting mix
• Bark mulch

Instructions

1. Push the madrone seeds into a bundle of moist sand or peat moss and place them in a plastic container or bag. Leave the seeds in the refrigerator for 60 days.

2. Prepare individual biodegradable pots, such as peat pots, at least 6 inches in height. It's important not to disturb seedling roots, so germinate the seed in a pot that can be buried when the seedling is planted out. Place 2 inches of sand in the bottom of each pot then fill it to within 2 inches of the rim with a well-drained seed starting mix. Top this with bark mulch.

3. Lay the madrone seeds on top of the mulch layer and water carefully to avoid disturbing the seed.

4. Place the pots in a nursery flat and leave it outdoors in the shade of a tree. Bob Harms, professor of biology at the University of Texas, claims that madrone seeds started outdoors are more robust than those that germinate indoors.

5. Water the seeds once a week if it doesn't rain. The madrone seeds should germinate within two weeks.

References

• Oregon State University Extension; Native Madrones are Special to the Northwest; Davi Richards
• School of Biological Sciences University of Texas Austin; Planting Madrone Seeds; Bob Harms
• U.S. Forest Service; Extraction and Germination of Pacific Madrone Seed; Constance A. Harrington, et al.