Refrigerator tree is what kids call the Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menziesii). These trees are best experienced by touch as well as sight.
The trees are always doing something. White, waxy, urn-shaped flowers in spring are followed by round, bumpy, red berries in fall. About one third of their evergreen leaves fall to the ground in June. And the bark peels in July.
The red, curling, paper-thin bark is an eye-catcher. But touch a smooth section of the thin bark, and often it will be cool to the touch. That is because your hand is not far from xylem cells underneath, sucking up cool groundwater like a straw, transporting it from the roots to the leaves.
So the next time you’re a bit warm from a hike, touch your forehead to this tree’s bark and cool off. And if you're so inclined, bring a refrigerator magnet to trade!
This spot is Track 8 on the Skyline Ridge Habitats Tour. For more information, click the link to be directed to the District’s website.
About this Preserve
2,143 Acres | 10.9 Miles of Trails
Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve offers visitors remarkable ridge vistas and trails through expansive meadows, oak woodland, and chaparral communities. Two trails are accessible to wheelchairs and baby strollers: a half-mile encircling Alpine Pond and a 1-mile trail along the shores of Horseshoe Lake; both areas offer picnic tables for your use. The David C. Daniels Nature Center, located at the edge of Alpine Pond, is open to the public on weekends, April through mid-November. Visit the preserve page for detailed information about preserve uses, accessibility, and amenities.
Hours
Sunrise to one-half hour after sunset
Congratulations to jsingewald on the FTF!