Monday, November 05, 2007

Copper Bark Tree?

Went hiking in Crown King yesterday and came across this tree with a copper bark and I can't identify it. Anybody know what it is?

I seems that half the trunk is covered with this copper bark and the other half is bare.

I have tried to search for the obvious "Coppper Bark Tree" etc. but nothing shoes up yet...

EDIT: Thanks to Melodie (see comments) this tree was identified as a Manzanita. More about it in Wikipedia here: Manzanita.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Guy Guy Guy
Its not actually a tree, its a lightning conductor cunningly disguised to look like a tree.
Common mistake, dont feel stupid.

Guy Ellis said...

How can I not feel stupid now?

Melodie said...

Guy that's a Manzanita tree. They are very beautiful aren't they! Manzanita has such spectacular color and branch formations and they also are one of the hardest woods as well which is why they are commonly used to make playstands and perches for birds, hence my knowledge of them...;o)

Guy Ellis said...

Thanks Melodie!

Anonymous said...

they also look very similar to lightning conductors. did you see cousin paul on his recent trip?

Guy Ellis said...

I didn't see Paul although I invited him to come and stay with us but he said that it was non-stop action packed trip and he couldn't fit it in. Did he have a good time?

Anonymous said...

i think it was a very action packed trip. he is not like us, he enjoys working way too hard; we had only got back from france and the uk 3 days before he flew out. no point being loaded if your heart attacks you.

das.aardvark said...

Actually the tree is a Pacific madrone, Arbutus menziesii. It is in the same family as the manzanits, but unlike them is not a shrubliuke prostate planr. The Pacific madron can grow to nearly 100 feet in height and have a trunk fron 6 to 8 feet in diameter.he coppery red color comesfrom the expoliation of the outer bark exposing the secons layer. This layer too may exfoliate exposing a beautiful green inner bark. Dried or greem, madrone is a very excellant smoking wood, often used in combination with mountain ash, or alder, and oak. fresh salmon or steelhead (and rainbow trout) smoked with this combination is a mind-boggling experience, never to be forgotten and ofter drooled over in rememberance.

Anonymous said...

That is very much so manzanita. to far inland for a Pacific madrone. but, they are close,one easy to notice difference is in the leaves.