--- title: Hugging the Arbutus tree description: Discover the health benefits of hugging the Arbutus tree and its natural medicinal properties, as recommended by botanist Diana Beresford-Kroeger. image: https://arbutustree.ca/hubfs/Arbutus-menziesii-sRGB.webp --- [Skip to content](https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/hugging-the-arbutus-tree#main-content) [![ART Logo Text with name - colour-on-wh - NEW](https://arbutustree.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/ART%20Logo%20Text%20with%20name%20-%20colour-on-wh%20-%20NEW.jpg?width=118&height=100&name=ART%20Logo%20Text%20with%20name%20-%20colour-on-wh%20-%20NEW.jpg "ART Logo Text with name - colour-on-wh - NEW")](https://www.arbutustree.ca) - [About](https://arbutustree.ca/about) - [Services](https://arbutustree.ca/services) - [Tips](https://arbutustree.ca/tips) - [Tree Talk](https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk) - [Reviews](https://arbutustree.ca/reviews) - [Contact](https://arbutustree.ca/contact) - ![Newsletter](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/26912127/interactive-255213191394.png) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. # Hugging the Arbutus tree by [kitsmediatech](https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/author/kitsmediatech) on July 31, 2025 [Botany and Biology](https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/tag/botany-and-biology) [Outdoor Activity](https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/tag/outdoor-activity) Botanist Diana Beresford-Kroeger recommends that people living on the West Coast “should hug the broad-leafed and cinnamon-coloured Arbutus tree (*Arbutus menzeisii*), especially in April or May”. That’s when it produces buds and come into flower. She suggests you put your hands on the trunk of the tree and lean against it and breathe in the aerosols produced by the canopy. The Arbutus tree is a member of the heather family (Ericaceae). Heather exudes natural antibiotic and antiviral properties, Beresford-Kroeger says, and when you walk through heather, it bursts forth wonderful aromatic medical compounds. It is the basis of many Indigenous medicines of North America. Diana Beresford-Kroeger talks to The Tyee about keeping well in a time of extra worry at [https://thetyee.ca/News/2020/12/31/Tree-Scientist-Seeks-Nature-Well-Being-Pandemic/](https://thetyee.ca/News/2020/12/31/Tree-Scientist-Seeks-Nature-Well-Being-Pandemic/) [![forest health](https://arbutustree.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/retore-your-health-in-the-forest.jpg?width=530&height=527&name=retore-your-health-in-the-forest.jpg)](https://arbutustree.ca/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/retore-your-health-in-the-forest.jpg) Spread the word: [Share this blog post on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=I+found+this+interesting+blog+post&url=https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/hugging-the-arbutus-tree) [Share this blog post on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/hugging-the-arbutus-tree) [Share this blog post on LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/hugging-the-arbutus-tree) ## Related Articles [![](https://arbutustree.ca/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/pruning-1.jpg)](https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/prune-your-trees-and-bushes-in-the-right-place) ### [Prune your trees and bushes in the right place](https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/prune-your-trees-and-bushes-in-the-right-place) When a branch is cut back to the main trunk, to a lateral branch or to a lateral bud, a higher... by [Admin](https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/author/admin) [![](https://arbutustree.ca/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shadetree-1.jpg)](https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/fast-growing-shade-trees-vancouver) ### [Top 5 Shade Trees to Cut Your Hydro Bill in Vancouver](https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/fast-growing-shade-trees-vancouver) When summer heat strikes in Vancouver, air conditioning often leads to higher Hydro bills.... by [Admin](https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/author/admin) [![](https://arbutustree.ca/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shadetree-300x186.jpg)](https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/7-fast-growing-shade-trees-to-slash-your-hydro-bill) ### [7 fast-growing shade trees to slash your Hydro bill](https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/7-fast-growing-shade-trees-to-slash-your-hydro-bill) When the weather heats up in the summer, we often increase our Hydro costs by using air... by [kitsmediatech](https://arbutustree.ca/tree-talk/author/kitsmediatech) #### Contact Norm Oberson (604) 737-2643 hello@arbutustree.ca [mailto:info@arbutustree.ca](mailto:info@arbutustree.ca) Schedule A Site Visit [![ISA Certified Arborist Logo - Thumbnail](https://arbutustree.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/ISA%20Certified%20Arborist%20Logo%20-%20Thumbnail.png?width=200&height=90&name=ISA%20Certified%20Arborist%20Logo%20-%20Thumbnail.png "ISA Certified Arborist Logo - Thumbnail")](https://www.isa-arbor.com/Who-We-Are/Our-Organization) [![ASCA RCA Logo](https://arbutustree.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/ASCA%20RCA_logo%20-%20Thumbnail.jpg?width=200&height=56&name=ASCA%20RCA_logo%20-%20Thumbnail.jpg "ASCA RCA Logo")](https://www.asca-consultants.org/) © 2026 Arbutus Tree Service Ltd. 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