Magnificent Manzanitas 2011

Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden

Gardening with Western L.A. County Native Plants
Project SOUND – 2011 (our 7th year)
© Project SOUND

Magnificent Manzanitas

C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve

Madrona Marsh Preserve
December 3 & 6, 2011
© Project SOUND

The genus Arctostaphylos
 In the Heath family (Ericaceae)
 Includes the Manzanitas and
Bearberries, blueberries
 Manzanitas occur in the chaparral
of western North America, from
southern British Columbia
through much of northern and
central Mexico.
 The three species of Bearberries
have adapted to arctic and
subarctic climates, and have a
circumpolar distribution in
northern North America, Asia
and Europe.

© Project SOUND

Why do people fall in love with Manzanitas?
 Showy, sweet-smelling flowers in
winter/early spring

 Evergreen foliage

 Red bark

 Interesting, architectural growth
patterns

 Edible fruits/medicinal leaves

 Attracts hummingbirds, native
bees & butterflies

 Because they’re rare in the wilds

 Because they are a part of
California’s unique wild heritage
© Project SOUND

Whatever the reason, people want to include
manzanitas in their gardens….

And that can be a challenge for those of us
living in western L.A. county
© Project SOUND

Success with manzanitas begins with choosing
the best species or cultivar for your conditions

© Project SOUND

Tailor the manzanita to your conditions
(rather than the other way around)
 Soil conditions:
 Texture/drainage
 pH

 Size: height & width/spread

 Growth pattern/speed

 Light/temperature

 Water regimen

 Aesthetics:

Fortunately, there are more than forty species of Arctostaphylos in
California not to mention all the cultivars, subspecies and hybrids.
© Project SOUND

Many species require well-drained soils

 Soil texture/Drainage

Soil type Approximate time
to drain

Hard-pan or
days
sodic soils
Clay 3-12 hours
Loam 20-60 minutes
 dig hole 1 ft x 1 ft
Sandy Loam 10-30 minutes
 fill with water and let drain
Sand can't fill the hole,
 fill hole again, measure drains too fast
time for water to drain

© Project SOUND

Many manzanitas like a slightly acidic soil
 Most manzanitas
originate in areas with
more acidic soil due to:
 Higher rainfall

 Effects of
chaparral/woodland
plants

 The rock material from
which the soils were
derived

 Our local garden soils
tend to range from 6.5
to 7.5 – and some may be
as high as 7.8+
Soils under pine trees and oaks will be more acidic
© Project SOUND

So, you really should test your soil pH if
you want to grow manzanitas
 A simple garden soil pH test kit
is adequate for the job – no need
for fancy equipment

 If your soil is Alkaline (pH > 7.5)
consider planting in a large pot

 If your soil is neutral or slightly
acid (pH 6.0 – 7.5) choose
manzanitas that like a slightly
acid soil and use an organic mulch

 If your soil is acid (pH 5.0-5.9)
http://nogmoseedbank.wordpress.com/2011/03/10/planning-for-spring-
planting-season-part-5-conducting-a-soil-test/ you can plant even those that
need acidic soils

© Project SOUND

Can’t I just amend my soil to lower the pH?
 Actually, it’s not that easy:

 Takes a lot of effort to lower
soils pH – and you have to keep
doing it because pH keeps ↑

 Acid fertilizers also increase the
soil N levels – often too high for
CA native plants
http://www.learn2grow.com/gardeningguides/lawns/planting/Incorp

 Chemical amendments:
oratingAmendments.aspx

If you’re acidifying 1000 sq ft of  sulfur or iron/ammonium/
soil with sulfur, a 1.0 change in aluminum sulfate
pH (from 7.5 to 6.5) requires 11
pounds of the product for sandy  Natural amendments: pine straw;
soil and 23 pounds for claylike
soil.
oak leaf mold

 ? Coffee grounds/acid compost
© Project SOUND

Size matters: most Manzanitas eventually
want to grow to their natural size

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97607362@N00/4375161245/
http://travel.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977173759

© Project SOUND

Manzanita species grow from < six inches (some coastal
species) to twenty feet tall (many interior species).

http://www.arthurleej.com/p-o-m-Mar08.html

http://www.fresno.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=24200&letter=b
&return=s_aP © Project SOUND

Don’t forget the width

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/swest/msg0309450418785.html

Arctostaphylos rudis "Burton Beauty Manzanita".

A. refugioensis

© Project SOUND

The right plant, grown correctly, will live for more
than 100 years (especially the larger forms).

http://123terry.com/photos/mom_day_2008/mom_day_2008.html

© Project SOUND

Let’s say you want to replace an old tree
with a large manzanita

http://www.arthurleej.com/p-o-m-Mar08.html

© Project SOUND

Big Berry Manzanita – Arctostaphylos glauca

© 2008 Gary A. Monroe

© Project SOUND

Bigberry Manzanita:
shrub or tree
 Easy-care shrub for slopes; good for
erosion control
 Specimen shrub; needs little pruning
 As a small shade tree
 As a key shrub/tree for the habitat
garden: bees, butterflies, birds,
humans

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-glauca

© Project SOUND

Why choose Manzanita cultivars?
 Because they have better size,
shape, color, etc.

 Because they often are better
adapted to garden conditions (and
therefore more likely to thrive in
your garden)

 Garden tolerance - cultivars are
often more tolerant of:
 A little extra water
 Soils that are not perfectly
drained
 Heat and cold
 Salinity and higher pH

© Project SOUND

Arctostaphylos glauca
‘Los Angeles’

 Source plant: originally in
the area of Mullholland
Hwy. and Kanan Rd.

 Smooth red bark and clean
shiny foliage with pink-
white flowers make the
plant quite attractive.

 Locally native – tolerates
sandy soils of western L.A.
County

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-glauca-frazier-park-manzanita

© Project SOUND

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-glauca-los-angeles

‘Frazier Park’
 From Frazier Park/ Mt.
Pinos region ~ 5000 ft.

 The form is low/dense
for a Big Berry
Manzanita.

 Foliage is pale green, a
glaucous green, making it
appear whitish-bluish -
beautiful accent plant in a
garden.

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-glauca-frazier-park-manzanita

© Project SOUND

‘Margarita Pearl’

 ? Big Berry manzanita (glauca)
or a hybrid between A. glauca
and A. wellsii

 Very large flowers and berries
– good for edibles garden

 Foliage is a bright grey on new
growth and dull grey on old
growth – lovely color

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-margarita-pearl
© Project SOUND

‘Ramona’
 From San Vicente/Ramona area
(San Diego Co.)

 Red bark, a very open form,
clean glossy foliage. The plant
looks almost artificial

 Use as a specimen with lower
green manzanitas and ceanothi
under it, or as an elegant eight
to ten foot hedge in a chaparral
planting.

 Ok in soils of pH 7.8, and
might even be ok in pH 8.
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-glauca-ramona-manzanita
© Project SOUND

Arctostaphylos
‘Canyon Blush’
 Arctostaphylos glauca hybrid
from a chance seedling in the
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

 Red-flushed new foliage and
http://www.faroutflora.com/page/12/ blush pink flowers

 4’ tall by 20 ft wide; climbing/
trailing form

 Quite effective as a sprawling,
large-scale groundcover, or
cascading down a slope.

 Use drip irrigation in place of
overhead watering to reduce
spread of this disease.

© Project SOUND

Allelopathy: chemical warfare in the garden
 Chaparral plants tend to
‘exclude’ other plants:
 Shading or crowding out
 Producing chemicals that are toxic
to plants or seedlings

 Some common trees/large
shrubs that practice chemical
warfare:
Manzanitas/Bearberries
http://sierrafoothillgarden.wordpress.com/2011/04/10/allelopathic-plantswhat-
%E2%80%9Ci-want-to-be-aloooone%E2%80%9D/ 
 Walnuts
 Oaks
 Sycamore
 California Bay laurel
 Cottonwood
 Non-natives like Forsythia,
Tree-of-heaven, Black locust
and Eucalyptus © Project SOUND

Common Manzanita – Arctostaphylos manzanita

http://lucioledesign.com/blog/?attachment_id=552
© Project SOUND

Common Manzanita – Arctostaphylos manzanita
 Central & northern California - Contra Costa
County north to Humboldt, Trinity, and Shasta
counties; and from the foothills of the Sierra
Nevada in Shasta County south to Mariposa
County.
 On ‘dry’, well-drained, sunny sites in Ponderosa
shrub forest, California mixed evergreen
forest, Northern oak woodlands, Chaparral,
Montane chaparral
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3449,3454,3492

© 1994 David Graber © Project SOUND

Common Manzanita: large size
 Size:
 6-12+ ft tall – as tall as 20’
 4-10 ft wide

 Growth form:
 Large evergreen shrub/small tree
 Open, upright habit – many long
twisted trunks give it an
umbrella-like shape
 Peeling red-brown bark

 Foliage:
 Bright green to slightly blue-
green
 Leaves simple, rounded

© 2009 John Malpas
http://atlantis.mendocino.edu/jxerogeanes/AGR%2053/Arctostaphylos%20manzanita-%20Whole%20plant.jpg © Project SOUND

Most manzanitas like  Soils:
 Texture: any with very good
well-drained soils drainage
 pH: 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) ;
may need to amend or use
mulch to acidify (pine needles;
oak leaves)

 Light:
 Full sun (coast) to part-shade –
even under tall pines

 Water:
 Winter: adequate/supplement
 Summer: occasional water is
http://www.intermountainnursery.com/demonstration_garden_list.htm best – 1-3 times per summer
(Zone 1-2)
Best away from the coast;
likes cooler winters  Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

 Other: use an organic mulch; pine
needles are great!
© Project SOUND

Why do garden manzanitas need a well-drained soil?

 It’s what they are adapted
to (root system anatomy)
 It keeps you/Mother Nature
from over-watering
 Winter rain events can ‘drown’
plants in standing
water/water-logged soils

 Too much summer rain
promotes fungal diseases to
which manzanitas are
susceptible

http://www.flickr.com/photos/starlingfeather/297644619/ © Project SOUND

Watering Manzanitas: a few pointers

 Look to the plant’s natural
climate as a starting point:
 Lots of rain yearly – some
species from very N. coast

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-
 Deeper/more frequent winter
morroensis-park-view-manzanita
rains – higher elevation
chaparral & woodlands

 Summer monsoons in August –
San Diego county species

 Significant summer fog –
species from the central and
northern CA coast
http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/mounttam/Interesting
© Project SOUND

Then modify according to your conditions

 Temperature
 Soil characteristics
 Wind, fog and other
climatic differences

© Project SOUND

Watering manzanitas: some tips

 Be sure that ‘expert advice’ is
appropriate for your area

 Use conventional drip
irrigation only to get plants
started the first year

 Use soaker hoses, soaker-drip
or a plain old hose for deep,
occasional water of
established plants

 Only use overhead spray for
coastal species that need a
fake ‘fog spray’

© Project SOUND

Planting and establishing manzanitas

 The best time to plant is in the Fall to early Winter, when soils
are moist.

 Treat manzanitas as 1 full Water Zone above their final
Zone for the first 2 summers. This will often be either Zone
2 or 2-3 (watering every 7-14 days).

 Water as the soil starts to dry. Inspect the soil down a few
inches to get a true idea of sub-surface moisture. Moisture
meters are an inexpensive and effective way to check out the
amount of water in the soil.

 By 3rd summer decrease to ½ Zone above final Zone.

 Ultimately, in about 3-5 years, your manzanitas, can take
their final zone - may become independent of your care.

© Project SOUND

Treat as a shrub or tree
 As a shade tree
 As an exotic accent
 As a large foundation shrub
 On dry slopes
 For habitat value
http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=432

© Project SOUND
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-manzanita-dr-hurd-
manzanita-tree http://www.sanjose.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=2528&return=l4_aD

Arctostaphylos manzanita ‘Byrd Hill’

 Naturally occurring variant

 A more compact version of
A. manzanita (8-10' H x 8' W)
 Upright; nice sculpted form.

 Very drought tolerant. No
summer water (or just 1-2
times per summer – Zone 1-2)
once established

 Excellent for wildlife.

http://www.californianativeplants.com/index.php/catalog/item/arctostaphylos-manzanita-byrd-hill © Project SOUND

Arctostaphylos manzanita ‘Dr. Hurd’
 To 15’ tall & wide; fast grower
 More garden tolerant: some summer
water, richer soil, than Arctostaphylos
glauca
 Tolerates clay or sandy soils
 Tree or shrub form – your choice
 Reliable drought-tolerant plant in our
area
http://lucioledesign.com/blog/?attachment_id=552

http://www.santacruz.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=2528&return=l9_aC
© Project SOUND
http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/images/new_botimages/large/0118_2_j.jpg

Arctostaphylos manzanita x A. densiflora
‘Austin Griffiths’ Manzanita
 Hybrid: Arctostaphylos densiflora
'Sentinel' X Arctostaphylos manzanita
'Dr. Hurd'
 Tall open shape with bright foliage &
pink flowers of A. densiflora
 8-10 ft tall; 6-8 ft wide
 Sandy soils best; clay ok
 Good for habitat hedges/dry
hedgerows

© Project SOUND

Manzanita hybrids – more all the time!

 Are a cross between two species

 Can occur in the wilds – and do –
but many species never come in
contact in the wilds

 Hybrids occur readily in the
garden setting – manzanita species
are ‘promiscuous’

 Some hybrids combine the best
traits of both parents (‘hybrid
cultivars’)

 Impact on wild populations – a real
potential problem (but not in lower
‘Austin Griffiths’ Manzanita elevation western L.A. county)
© Project SOUND

Large Manzanitas: are they trees or shrubs?

 That’s debatable

 Some native shrubby
species - mainly those
native to California -
certainly reach tree size.

 However, they generally
branch or fork near the
ground, thus lacking the
single trunk of a tree.
Arctostaphylos 'Bird Hill' and Lyonothamnus
planifolia both have open ‘tree-like’ growth  ? ‘multi-trunk small tree’
habit that allow them to be ‘pruned up’ into
small ‘trees’.

© Project SOUND

Most Manzanitas look good throughout their
lifespan – even without pruning

© 2008 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Arctosta
phylos-auriculata/

http://camissonia.blogspot.com/2011/01/rain-frost-
blooming-manzanitas.html

At four years

© Project SOUND

‘Dr. Hurd’ grows up
to be a tree

http://3palmsnursery.com/ywup/ArctoDr%20Hurd.JPG

http://www.heronshouse.com/Landscaping/California%20Natives.htm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/5967389289/

‘Dr. Hurd’ at 5 years http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-02-27/home-and-garden/28632634_1_prune-manzanitas-fruit-
trees © Project SOUND

Pruning to shape – tree-like forms

 Judicious shaping is possible.

 The trick seems to be not to act too
soon - until you can get a feel for
the form the plant is taking - or too
late, which would leave large pruning
scars on the smooth, red bark.
‘Howard McMinn’
http://dangergarden.blogspot.com/2010/03/walking-around-neighborhood.html

http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-photo/keeleyhope/1/1267709433/manzanita.jpg/tpod.htm
© Project SOUND

Start by choosing the right species – and
the right plant

http://www.heronshouse.com/Landscaping/California%20Natives.htm

http://www.calfloranursery.com/pages_plants/pages_a/arcsun.html

‘Sunset’
‘Howard McMinn’
© Project SOUND

Mother Nature trumps

 Most manzanitas are not
going to have a single leader
(a single dominant trunk that
starts at the ground and
extends through the tree).

 Trying to get that kind of
tree will probably not be wise
– work with the natural shape

© Project SOUND

 Prune manzanitas only in
Above all, do no harm warm, dry weather, to
guard against diseases
fostered by cold and
damp.

 Don’t stress the plant by
over-pruning:
 If it's young plant, remove
no more than about 25% of
it's leaf / volume.

 Limit pruning of older
plants to 10% to 15%. You
can always do more next
year.
© Project SOUND

Prune purposively
 If removing a branch or
trunk will improve the
shape, remove it before it
gets too big (< 1.5 inches is
good).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Manzanita.JPG
http://www.juniperridge.com/wildcrafting_use.htm  Consider pinching small
branch tips to redirect
growth upward - pinching to
an upward facing bud.

 Most manzanitas won't
form new leaves on a branch
if you cut off the part of it
that had leaves, so think
hard before you cut.

© Project SOUND
http://truevisiondesign.com/janet/fun/around-the-property/86-clearing-brush-and-the-joy-of-
poison-oak

Can manzanitas be
used in hedges &
hedgerows?

‘Austin Griffiths’

© Project SOUND

Pointleaf Manzanita – Arctostaphylos pungens

http://www.delange.org/ManzanitaPointleaf/ManzanitaPointleaf.htm
© Project SOUND

Pointleaf Manzanita – Arctostaphylos pungens
 Foothills & mtns of the U.S.
Southwest and NW Mexico –
2500-8000 ft.

 Locally: San Gabriel & San
Bernardino Mtns.

 Rocky slopes, ridges, in
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flor
a_id=1&taxon_id=250092319 chaparral, coniferous forest
bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3449,3454,3522

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/arpu5.htm
© Project SOUND
http://www.birdandhike.com/Veg/Species/Shrubs/Arctos_pun/_Arc_pun.htm

Pointleaf Manzanita: variable over its range
 Size:
 3-10 ft tall – often 3-6 ft
 3-8 ft wide – often 3-6 ft

 Growth form:
 Evergreen shrub/small tree
 Upright, open habit
 Smooth, red-brown peeling bark
 In nature may grow in dense
thickets

 Foliage:
 Thick, leathery leaves
 Shiny wax coating
 Produces volatile chemicals –
helps to burn

 Roots: shallow, fibrous
© Project SOUND
http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/arpu5.htm http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~greywolf/spectra/spec_curve.html

Manzanitas are primarily chaparral plants

 Environmental
 Higher total moisture
 Rain & snow
 May also have summer rains
 Wider temperature extremes
 More natural mulch

 Growth patterns
 Evergreen
 Longer growth season – spring through summer
 May have growth/flowering after summer rains

 Role of fire: essential for many species

© Project SOUND

 Manzanitas contain a high percentage
Manzanitas and fire of volatile compounds, which burn like
a torch when ignited.

 They also carry a large amount of dead
wood, making them all the more
flammable.

 Manzanita can act as a ladder fuel in
landscapes, especially when planted
adjacent to flammable structures such
as homes, decks, fences, and trees.
http://sandiegohiker.net/?p=408 Ladder fuels carry fire from the
ground where it can be controlled to
Tough seed coats and sprouting treetops where it is difficult to
roots/ burls are manzanita control.
adaptations to life with fire
 Flame lengths of manzanita can reach
eight times the height of the shrub
(i.e. a five foot tall manzanita can
generate a 40 foot flame).

© Project SOUND

If you need to worry about fire: choices

 Plant something other than a
manzanita
 Plant species from Northern
CA or cultivars that can take
a little more water; then
water them
 Choose Bearberries, which
are not so flammable but
have the ‘manzanita look’

© Project SOUND

Flowers and fruits
 Blooms:
 Winter to early spring – in our
area may be as early as
Nov/Dec.
 Provide needed winter color,
nectar

 Flowers:
 Typical for the genus: small,
white (pink blush) urn-shaped

 Fruits:
 Small (1/4 inch)
 Ripen to showy red in summer;
retained through fall

 Vegetative reproduction: natural
layering
© Project SOUND

Growing Manzanita from seed: difdicult
 Very difficult to germinate: have
both a hard seedcoat and embryo
dormancy

 In nature, manzanita seeds germinate
following fire. Fire provides exposure
to heat/smoke and seedbed
http://hazmac.biz/041206b/041206bArctostaphylosPungens.html
preparation.

 To mimic this natural process, some
propagators sow seeds in a flat
(wooden flat covered with aluminum
foil) and burn a 3-4 inch layer of pine
needles on top of the seedbed.

 Seeds may take a year to germinate.
Once seedlings germinate, they are
transplanted to nursery containers.
© Project SOUND

Propagating manzanitas by layering is easy
 Propagate existing manzanita plants
using Mother Nature’s method - the
layering technique.

 A tender shoot is "pinned" (using a "U"
shaped piece of wire) into the soil
where it is left to take root for a
growing season.

 Slightly wound the stem with a sharp,
clean knife and give supplemental
water to promote root growth.
http://generalhorticulture.tamu.edu/YouthAdventureProgra
m/AsexualPropagation/AsexaulPropagation.html

Natural ‘layering’ allows  After roots become established, the
some plants to form a thicket rooted plant can be severed from the
generated from a single mother plant, grown up in a pot, and
plant transplanted in fall following recovery.

© Project SOUND

 Soils:
Plant Requirements  Texture: well-drained – sandy or
rocky best, but others ok on
slopes
 pH: slightly acidic - 5.1-7.5

 Light:
 Full sun
 Can take plenty of heat

 Water:
 Winter: adequate
 Summer: in our area, best with
occasional water (once a month
in summer – Zone 1-2) but very
drought tolerant; likes ‘summer
monsoon’

 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
http://www.educacionambiental.org.mx/atlas/anexo/CONABIO/Arctostaphylos%20pungens2.jpg  Other: organic mulch
© Project SOUND

Pointleaf Manzanita thrives
in dry gardens
 Nice background shrub or in
informal hedges
 Hot, dry hills & slopes – erosion
control
 Place where you can enjoy flowers
& fruits

http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/ © Project SOUND
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ARPU5

For a chaparral garden, plant with its
usual associates
 Wedgeleaf ceanothus (Ceanothus cuneatus)
 California buckthorn (Frangula californica)
 Common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus)
 Birchleaf mountain-mahogany
 Thickleaf yerba santa (E. crassifolium)
 Flannelbush (Fremontodendron species)
 CA coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica)
 Tecate cypress (Cupressus forbesii)
 Laurel sumac (Malosma laurina)
 Black & White Sages (Salvia mellifera, Apiana)

© Project SOUND

Pruning Manzanitas for a hedge or pot

 Choose the right species: should have a
more dense (less open) growth habit

 Prune out branches that are ‘wrong’

 Tip-prune/pinch new growth to
promote fuller, bushy growth if
desired

© Project SOUND

Aesthetic and other considerations when
choosing a manzanita

 Open or dense growth
pattern
 Growth speed
 Foliage color
 Flower color
 Size/color of fruits
 ‘Garden hardiness’ – length of
time used in gardens

© Project SOUND

* Otay Manzanita – Arctostaphylos otayensis

© 2003 David Graber
© Project SOUND

* Otay Manzanita – Arctostaphylos otayensis
 Endemic to mountains of southern San
Diego County (e.g., Guatay, Jamul, Otay),
near border with Baja California & nearby
S. Riverside County and northern Baja

 Shallow volcanic soils, rock outcrops in
chaparral, woodlands (1500-5200‘ elev.)


© 2003 David Graber http://www.willhiteweb.com/california_climbing/trip_reports_099.htm
© Project SOUND

Otay Manzanita: medium to large shrub
 Size:
 5-15 ft tall
 4-8 ft wide

 Growth form:
 Upright, evergreen shrub –
similar appearance to ‘Dr. Hurd’
 Slow-growing; dense when
young becoming more open
 Red-brown shreddy bark

 Foliage:
 New leaves bright green
 Older leaves more gray-green
 Leaves spaced so ‘open’ look

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctostaphyl
 Roots: fibrous; no burl
os_otayensis

© Project SOUND

Flower color
 Vary even within species: Otay
Manzanita can be pale or medium
pink – different appearance

 Best time to buy is now – can see
flower color
© 2005 Gene Wagner, RPh.

A . pungens

http://hy.bestpicturesof.com/pungens

© Project SOUND
http://azwildflowers.blogspot.com/2007/04/pointleaf-manzanita.html

Why go to the nursery in Dec/Jan?
 Often can see both new &
older foliage color

 Can see flower size, color
and density of floral
clusters – even if none on
the 1-gallen you buy,
nursery will likely have a
http://www.intermountainnursery.com/retail_nursery.htm mature plant or pictures of
the exact plant you’re
buying

 Perfect time to plant; you
can choose and purchase
now

© Project SOUND

Otay Manzanita loves rocky soils
 Soils:
 Texture: loves rocky soils but
also grows in clay
 pH: mildly acidic (pH 6.0-7.0
is optimal)

 Light:
 Best in full sun, but will take a
little shade
 Fine in hot gardens

 Water:
 Summer: occasional water (Zone
1-2) when mature. Likes 1
August ‘monsoon shower’

© Project SOUND

Otay Manzanita thrives
in hot, inland gardens
 Good background shrub in
woodland garden.

 Lovely shape for specimen
plant or informal hedge
 Flowers attract hummingbirds
& insect pollinators; many birds
and animals like the fruits

© Project SOUND
http://kate-campbell.blogspot.com/2011/09/manzanita-saving-celebrating-our.html

So much habitat value

http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-pungens
© Project SOUND

Maybe you like the looks of Otay
Manzanita, but you live by the coast..

http://www.naturalfrontyards.com/choose-a-palette/california-coastal/
© Project SOUND

Fortunately, not all chaparral is the same:
maritime chaparral

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/ecoregions/51202.htm http://www.flickr.com/photos/tcorelli/page602/

© Project SOUND
http://www.californiachaparral.com/factsandmyths/wheretofindchaparral.html

* Morro Manzanita – Arctostaphylos morroensis

© 2011 Chris Winchell

© Project SOUND

* Morro Manzanita – Arctostaphylos morroensis
 Endemic to San Luis Obispo County,
California, where it is known only
from the vicinity of Morro Bay.

 It is limited to a specific type of
substrate: ancient dune sands


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Arctostaphylos_morroensis_1.jpg
© Project SOUND

http://www.worldbotanical.com/arctostaphylos.htm http://www.flickr.com/photos/edgehill/3776478253/

http://camissonia.blogspot.com/2011/02/olives-are-cured-and-some-cal-native.html

'Harmony' & 'Sunset' Manzanitas ‘soften’ a gravel pathway
at the front entry: what other choices?
© Project SOUND

* Del mar Manzanita – Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. crassifolia

http://www.worldbotanical.com/arctostaphylos.htm

© Project SOUND

* Del mar Manzanita – Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. crassifolia
 Endemic to the south-central
coast of San Diego County south
into extreme northwestern Baja
California

 On coastal sandstone bluffs
within the rare and threatened
maritime chaparral plant
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3449,3454,3470,3472 community

 Some of the best populations
exist and are protected at
Torrey Pines State Reserve

© Project SOUND
http://www.plantscomprehensive.com/sandiegonatives-blog?page=3

Del mar Manzanita: gray-green to blue-green
 Size:
 3-6 ft tall; usually 3-5 ft
 4-6 ft wide

 Growth form:
 Small to medium sized
evergreen shrub w/ red bark
 Rounded, upright to rambling
form
 Slow growing

 Foliage:
 Gray-green to blue-green
 Neat/tidy looking

 Roots: re-sprouts from basal
burl
© 2007 Charles E. Jones
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-glandulosa-ssp-crassifolia © Project SOUND

Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: sandy (including
sand) or rocky are best
 pH: slightly acidic (6.0-
7.6); many gardens in this
range

 Light:
 Full sun along only on coast
 Morning sun/dappled shade
in other/hot gardens

 Water:
© 2006 Kai Palenscar

 Winter: adequate;
Look at the weather from the Torrey supplement if needed
Pines state park for clues about  Summer: Zone 1-2
precipitation (occasional) best; fog; likes a
‘summer monsoon’ in Aug.

© Project SOUND

Use Del Mar Manzanita
 As a tall groundcover
 Under pines
 As an informal hedge
 With its usual associated species
Comarostaphylis, Xylococcus,
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Arctostaphylos_glandulosa
Quercus and Salvia species.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/m-Htm9oK65QX_9Kx7zPcDw © Project SOUND

What to do with all  Beverages
 Manzanita ‘cider’
the fruits?  Syrup for cold drinks
 Dried and ground for tea

 Jelly & syrup

 Dried and ground for a
natural sweetener

© 2010 James M. Andre
http://www.wishtoyo.org/artifacts-wearables-seed-bead-
necklaces.html
© Project SOUND

Pajaro Manzanita is great for
coastal gardens
 Prune up for a small, dense tree –
good nesting sites

 Use as a specimen/accent shrub
– very attractive year-round,
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-pajaroensis-paradise-manzanita
with sculptural shape

 As an all-round habitat plant –
winter nectar, fruits and cover-
nest sites

 Has an ‘old-fashioned look’ –
perfect for Edwardian or
Victorian garden

 Nice addition to a scent garden

© Project SOUND
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/2994359348/

‘Myrtle Wolf’

 Naturally occurring
cultivar
 Particularly attractive
http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/waterwise/images/05_Arctostaphylos-cv-MWolf5.jpg

 Bright/dark pink flowers
 Light blue-green foliage

 4-5 ft tall & wide
 Takes a little more
heat – good for hot
banks
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/sets/72157608574988902/
© Project SOUND

‘Paradise’
 Naturally
occurring cultivar
from Regional
Parks Botanic
Garden
 5-6 ft tall; 6-10
ft wide
 Exceptional new
foliage color
 Needs very good
drainage
http://www.calfloranursery.com/pages_plants/pages_a/arcpajpar.html

http://drystonegarden.com/ © Project SOUND

‘Warren Roberts’
 Very dense, slate-blue/blue-
green foliage
 Upright habit – good for small
tree – 6 ft tall, 10 ft wide
 New foliage orange-red – really
nice color

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/sets/72157608574988902/ © Project SOUND

Versatile, garden-friendly
‘Sunset’

http://www.rwa.watersavingplants.com/eplant.php?plantnum=24200&retu
rn=l7_p87

 Hybrid - A. pajaroensis x A. hookeri
ssp. hookeri
 Very colorful new foliage
 Low-growing – to about 3-4 ft –
informal hedges
 Chosen for garden hardiness
© Project SOUND
http://xeraplants.com/Xera/SHRUB_A-B_09.html

Manzanitas provide a wide range of
foliage colors

http://jayacarl.blogspot.com/2007/03/stone-wall-with-manzanita.html

http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Arctostaphylos-silvicola/

© Project SOUND

Foliage color is important factor

A. densiflora – bright green

http://en.flickeflu.com/set/72157622626294085

A. auriculata – silvery blue-green

http://camissonia.blogspot.com/2011/02/yes-im-manzanita-freak-and-blooming.html

A. pungens – gray-green A. glandulosa – blue-green © Project SOUND

Compare foliage
at the nursery

 Some things to consider:
 Color of new leaves – may be
red-tinged in some species
http://dangergarden.blogspot.com/2010/04/joy-creek-nursery.html  Color of mature leaves
 Leaf shape
 Whether leaves are hairy or
shiny
 Leaf size and density on
branches
 Whether leaves are upright on
branches
 Color of new branches

http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Arctostaphylos-silvicola/
© Project SOUND

Perhaps you need a mid-size shrub

You could plant Indian
Hawthorn (Raphiolepis
indica) – or choose a
smaller size manzanita

http://coldcalculation.blogspot.com/2006/09/workhorse-landscape-plants.html

© Project SOUND

* Mount Diablo Manzanita – Arctostaphylos auriculata
 Endemic to the area surrounding Mount
Diablo, in Contra Costa County (e San
Francisco Bay Area)

 occurs primarily in chamise or manzanita
chaparral. It can also be found as an
understory shrub in coast live oak woodland,
400'-2000' elevation

© 2006 Steve Matson
© Project SOUND

Mount Diablo Manzanita: beautiful foliage

 Size:
 3-12 ft tall; usually 4-6 ft
 5-10 ft wide

 Growth form:
 Evergreen woody shrub
 Erect to mounded
 Twigs hairy; older bark red

 Foliage:
 Gray-green; may be very
fuzzy
 Rounded, over-lapping leaves
clasp the branches
 Very unusual and lovely
appearance
© Project SOUND

Flowers are pink!

 Blooms: winter to early spring

 Flowers:
 Usually pink – sometimes
white
 Usually hairy
 Many flower clusters per
plant – plant covered with
flowers
 Otherwise, fairly typical
flowers for the genus

 Fruits: small & hairy until
mature.

© Project SOUND

A. auriculata can take a  Soils:
little more water  Texture: well-drained
 pH: slightly acidic best

 Light:
 Full sun on coast
 Morning sun/dappled shade
in hot gardens

 Water:
 Summer: best with a little
summer water (Zone 1-2 up
to 2); rinse off occasionally
in summer (be ‘the fog’)


 Other: organic mulch (including
oak and pine needles
© Project SOUND

Arctostaphylos auriculata 'Knobcone Point'

 3-6 ft tall; 6-8 ft wide –
spreading with erect stems

 An unusual selection of
manzanita that retains its close-
set juvenile leaves, creating a
unique fish scale-like effect

 Foliage an attractive blue-green.
Excellent in both coastal and
inland gardens.

 Pale pinkish-white flowers
attract hummingbirds.

© Project SOUND

‘Greensphere’  Rounded shrub, 5’ tall x 6’ wide;
almost perfectly spherical
hybrid
 Dense habit; compact new growth
is attractive, reddish, ages to
dark green.
 Full sun to part shade.
 Any soil, dry to semi-dry.
 one of the easiest manzanitas to
grow.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastbaywilds/4297456024/ http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/235340/
© Project SOUND

Little Sur Manzanita – Arctostaphylos
edmundsii

http://slosson.ucdavis.edu/documents/2005-200610653.pdf

 Many of the low-growing manzanitas grow in sandy coastal areas,
suggesting that well-drained soils are important

© Project SOUND

Arctostaphylos edmundsii
‘Carmel Sur’

 Fast growing

 Attractive dark gray-green
foliage and dense, spreading habit.

 < 1 ft. tall and 4 - 6 ft. across.
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-edmundsii-carmel-sur-manzanita

 Prefers coastal conditions but
does well protected from hot
afternoon sun inland.

 Creeping main sterns send up many
short, erect branchlets to form an
attractive dense, lush-looking
ground cover.

© Project SOUND
http://www.calown.com/nativegarden_plants.html

Arctostaphylos edmundsii  An unusually small
shrub - < 2 ft
‘Big Sur’  Forms a small mound
of dark green leaves
and mahogany-red
branches.

 Unlike most smaller
Manzanitas, this
selection remains
somewhat open,
revealing the plant's
characteristic
beautiful branching
structure.
http://www.yerbabuenanursery.com/viewplant.php?pid=1277

Use along a path or draping over a wall where it can be appreciated up
close.
© Project SOUND

Arctostaphylos edmundsii
‘Bert Johnson’

 Flat mat-like stems hold gray-
green leaves that flush bronze
in early spring.

 A compact mound forming
selection to 2’ with shiny
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/84/238318221_cec3be656f.jpg?v=0

foliage and light pink flowers
Excellent native ground in spring
cover or in containers
 Reliability in a range of garden
situations.

© Project SOUND

‘Ophio-viridis’ hybrid

 1 ft by 4-6 ft

 Bright green foliage;
overlapping leaves give

unique appearance

 Recommended for use in
containers, or where it can
trail over a low wall -
beautiful cascading growth.

 Also good for hanging
baskets.

© Project SOUND

Purissima Manzanita – Arctostaphylos purissima
 Endemic to western Santa
Barbara County, California,
including near Lompoc, site of
Mission La Purísima
Concepción – hence it’s name

 Hills and mesas near the
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3449,3454,3523 coast (Burton Mesa)

 Maritime chaparral on deep,
sandy soils, sandstone
outcrops

© 1993 David Graber © Project SOUND

Purisima Manzanita – a groundcover in nature
 Size:
 Usually 3-4 ft tall; may be
8-10 on some sites
 6-12 ft wide; spreading

 Growth form:
 Woody evergreen shrub
 Varies in shape from low and
© 2004 David Graber spreading to tall and erect.
 Densely branched; young
twigs are white/hairy

 Foliage:
 Leaves shiny, bright green
 May be almost round – clasp
the stem

 Roots: fibrous; no burl
© Project SOUND
© 2006 Adonis (Don) Tate © 2006 Steve Matson

Magnificent Manzanitas 2011

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