''Arbutus canariensis'', known in Spanish as ''madroño canario'', is a species of shrub or tree in the

heath family The Ericaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the heath or heather family, found most commonly in acidic and infertile growing conditions. The family is large, with c.4250 known species spread across 124 genera, making it th ...

. It is endemic to the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...

of Spain, specifically Tenerife, La Gomera, Gran Canaria, El Hierro, and La Palma. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Hybrids

''Arbutus'' x ''thuretiana'' Demoly is a hybrid between ''A. canariensis'' and '' A. andrachne''. Named after

Gustave Thuret Gustave Adolphe Thuret (23 May 1817 – 10 May 1875) was a noted French botanist, and founder of the Jardin botanique de la Villa Thuret. Biography Born in Paris, he belonged to an old Huguenot family, which had sought refuge in Weesp (Dutch ...

, it is naturalised at

Jardin botanique de la Villa Thuret The Jardin botanique de la Villa Thuret () is a renowned botanical garden located on the grounds of the Villa Thuret, 90, chemin Raymond, Antibes Juan-les-Pins, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France. It is open weekdays without c ...

. ''A.'' x ''thuretiana'' is renowned for its perfectly smooth, reddish-brown bark, exfoliating in the spring to show a new, surprisingly pistachio-green bark, which gradually darkens and turns reddish again.

Gallery

File:Arbutus canariensis (Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo).jpg, Foliage File:Arbutus canariensis kz7.JPG, Flowers File:Arbutus canariensis kz03.jpg, Fruits File:Arbutus canariensis kz4.JPG, Bark File:Arbutus x thuretiana2-Clapiers-7636~2020 03 23.jpg, Flowers of the hybrid ''Arbutus'' x ''thuretiana''

References

External links

Wildscreen ArkiveNational Arboretum Canberra (Australia), ''Arbutus canariensis'', Canary Madrone
photos and informal information

photos * ttp://tropical.theferns.info/image.php?id=Arbutus+canariensis Useful Tropical Plants, ''Arbutus canariensis'' Imageshigh-quality photos canariensis Endemic flora of the Canary Islands Trees of Africa Trees of Mediterranean climate Vulnerable flora of Africa Plants described in 1800 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Ericaceae-stub