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Similar to Magnificent Manzanitas 2011
Similar to Magnificent Manzanitas 2011 (20)
Magnificent Manzanitas 2011
- 1. Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with Western L.A. County Native Plants
Project SOUND – 2011 (our 7th year)
© Project SOUND
- 2. Magnificent Manzanitas
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
December 3 & 6, 2011
© Project SOUND
- 3. 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
- 4. 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
- 5. 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
- 7. 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
- 8. 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
- 9. 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
- 10. 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
- 11. 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
- 12. 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
- 13. 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
- 14. Don’t forget the width
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/swest/msg0309450418785.html
Arctostaphylos rudis "Burton Beauty Manzanita".
A. refugioensis
© Project SOUND
- 15. 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
- 16. 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
- 18. 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
- 19. 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
- 20. 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
- 21. Arctostaphylos glauca
‘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
- 22. Arctostaphylos glauca
‘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
- 23. Arctostaphylos glauca
‘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
- 24. 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
- 25. 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
- 26. Common Manzanita – Arctostaphylos manzanita
http://lucioledesign.com/blog/?attachment_id=552
© Project SOUND
- 27. 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
- 28. 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
- 29. 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
- 30. 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
- 31. 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
- 32. Then modify according to your conditions
Temperature
Soil characteristics
Wind, fog and other
climatic differences
© Project SOUND
- 33. 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
- 34. 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
- 35. 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
- 36. 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
- 37. 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
- 38. 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
- 39. 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
- 40. 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
- 41. 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
- 42. ‘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
- 43. 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
- 44. 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
- 45. 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
- 46. 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
- 47. 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
- 49. Pointleaf Manzanita – Arctostaphylos pungens
http://www.delange.org/ManzanitaPointleaf/ManzanitaPointleaf.htm
© Project SOUND
- 50. 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
- 51. 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
- 52. 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
- 53. 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
- 54. 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
- 55. Flowers and fruits
Blooms:
Winter to early spring – in our
area may be as early as
Nov/Dec.
Provide needed winter color,
nectar
http://www.delange.org/ManzanitaPointleaf/ManzanitaPointleaf.htm
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
- 56. 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
- 57. 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
- 58. 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
- 59. 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.delange.org/ManzanitaPointleaf/ManzanitaPointleaf.htm
http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/ © Project SOUND
http://www.delange.org/ManzanitaPointleaf/ManzanitaPointleaf.htm
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ARPU5
- 60. 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
- 61. 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
- 62. 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
- 63. * Otay Manzanita – Arctostaphylos otayensis
© 2003 David Graber
© Project SOUND
- 64. * 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.)
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3449,3454,3513
© 2003 David Graber http://www.willhiteweb.com/california_climbing/trip_reports_099.htm
© Project SOUND
- 65. 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
- 66. 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
- 67. 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
- 68. 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:
Winter: adequate
Summer: occasional water (Zone
1-2) when mature. Likes 1
August ‘monsoon shower’
© 2003 David Graber
Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
© Project SOUND
- 69. Otay Manzanita thrives
in hot, inland gardens
Good background shrub in
woodland garden.
Lovely shape for specimen
plant or informal hedge
© 2003 David Graber
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
- 70. So much habitat value
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-pungens
© Project SOUND
- 71. 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
- 72. 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
- 73. * Morro Manzanita – Arctostaphylos morroensis
© 2011 Chris Winchell
© Project SOUND
- 74. * 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://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3449,3454,3505
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/
- 76. * Del mar Manzanita – Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. crassifolia
http://www.worldbotanical.com/arctostaphylos.htm
© Project SOUND
- 77. * 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
- 78. 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
- 79. 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.
Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
© Project SOUND
- 80. 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
- 81. 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
- 82. Need a shrub that can take a little more water but
looks like Del Mar Manzanita?
© Project SOUND
- 84. 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/
- 85. ‘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
- 86. ‘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
- 87. ‘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
- 88. 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
- 89. 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
- 90. 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
- 91. 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
- 92. 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
- 93. * 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
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3449,3454,3456
© 2006 Steve Matson
© Project SOUND
- 94. 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
© 2006 Steve Matson
© Project SOUND
- 95. 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.
© 2006 Steve Matson
© Project SOUND
- 96. 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:
Winter: adequate
Summer: best with a little
summer water (Zone 1-2 up
to 2); rinse off occasionally
in summer (be ‘the fog’)
Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
Other: organic mulch (including
oak and pine needles
© 2006 Steve Matson
© Project SOUND
- 97. 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
- 98. ‘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
- 99. The lowest of the low
http://seedbyte.blogspot.com/2009_12_11_archive.html
© Project SOUND
- 101. 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
- 102. 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
- 103. 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
- 104. 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
- 105. ‘Ophio-viridis’ hybrid
1 ft by 4-6 ft
Bright green foliage;
overlapping leaves give
© 2006 Steve Matson
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
- 107. 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
- 108. 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