Sometimes called the heath family, the Ericaceae family is large and important, both for food and ornamental use. It is also seemingly everywhere. Blueberries, cranberries and huckleberries are among the well-known edible species; rhododendrons (above), azaleas (below), and Arbutus are among the well-known ornamental species. This is a family that has pursued me on both east and west coasts.
I grew up around rhododendrons and azaleas, which are closely related -- they are actually both members of the Rhododendron genus. You cannot argue with their abundant, exuberant nature. These are plants that inform you that the world is a living, colorful, sunny place. My Dad possibly planted more of these on his property than any other shrub. He also planted the more unusual Pieris, commonly known as andromeda, seen below in bloom with pendulous, creamy white flowers.
Also possessing pendulous flowers, but otherwise very different, is the
strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo, below), a very popular Mediterranean import in California. I remember encountering one in Salinas for the first time and being awestruck by the bright red fruits, completely worthy of the name strawberry. The bark is also strikingly red, but in a more brownish-copper sort of way.
The Arbutus genus also includes madrone trees, which are native to the New World. The Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) grows wild in the Los Padres National Forest, where I have seen it with my own eyes. Its relation to the strawberry tree is evident, as is its relation to manzanita (Arctostaphylos genus), one of the most widespread shrubs of the chaparral community. Chaparral plants are adapted to the arid west and survive on very little water. The word "manzanita" is Spanish for "little apple", which as the photo below illustrates, is more or less what the fruits resemble. Aesthetically, I have always been a sucker for manzanita, its smooth reddish bark perfectly contrasting the pastel green shades of its leaves.
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