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More information »	Arctostaphylos 'Lester Rowntree' (manzanita) A stunning manzanita named for the early native plant pioneer and groundbreaking woman, Lester Rowntree, who provided the seed. Shapely, upright branches sport bluish foliage with unusual coral-pink, urn-shaped flowers very early, often beginning in October. A special feature for an upright manzanita is the large, glossy, red berries which ripen in the summer. The reddish bark, gorgeous foliage and flowers make this an excellent candidate for sunny areas with little to no summer water once established. This selection, involving A. pajaroensis, develops into a striking specimen, growing 8-10 ft. tall and wide with time. Its early flowering period offers nectar to hummingbirds and bees when not much else native is blooming. Introduced by Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden.
More information »	Arctostaphylos 'Lutsko's Pink' (manzanita) One of the very best ornamental manzanitas, named by Cal Flora for the landscape architect who introduced it: Ron Lutsko. An upright shrub 4 -7 ft. tall, with dark glossy green leaves and covered with blossoms in spring which are blushed pink. Mahogany trunks develop a beautiful contorted shape. Good for dry sunny spot.
More information »	Arctostaphylos 'Pacific Mist' (manzanita) A broadly spreading shrub, fast growing for a manzanita, eventually forming a good dense ground cover 2 - 2 1/2 ft. tall by 10 ft. wide. Handsome gray-green leaves with deep reddish-brown bark. Small clusters of white urn-shaped flowers in late winter are pretty, but it is not a heavy bloomer. This fine introduction from Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden is proving to be dependable and disease resistant. Plant in sun or light shade. More drought tolerant than the popular bearberries. In cool summer areas may need no additional summer water once established. In hotter inland sites,occasional deep summer waterings is best. It is believed to be a cross involving the rare Bonny Doon manzanita.
More information »	Arctostaphylos 'Sentinel' (manzanita) Somewhat more upright in habit but less dense and less uniform than Arctostaphylos 'Howard McMinn', it is a far heavier bloomer with LOTS of vivid pink blossoms and soft grey green leaves. A relatively easy and dependable manzanita, growing 6 - 8 ft. tall and wide, though reputed to be less tolerant of irrigation and heavy soils than A. ‘Howard McMinn’, the most adaptable of all manzanitas. Distinctive burgundy-colored bark. Early nectar source for hummingbirds and bumble bees.
More information »	Arctostaphylos 'Sunset' (manzanita) A handsome manzanita growing 6 ft. tall and wide with especially attractive coppery-red new growth. Flowers are urn-shaped pinkish-white. Exfoliating shaggy bark reveals smooth red toned trunks. Can be pruned to expose the beautiful sinuous branching structure. A naturally occuring hybrid discovered near Prunedale in Monterey Co. involving A. pajaroensis and A. hookeri. Tolerant of heavy soils and heat as well as occasional irrigation.
More information »	Arctostaphylos 'White Lanterns' (manzanita) This lovely manzanita believed to be a selection of A. densiflora originated at the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens many years ago, but today it is a rare find in nurseries. Slowly growing to a dense mound 3-4 feet tall and wide, this tough and disease resistant plant is equally at home as a beautiful specimen or massed in large plantings. Especially heavy blooming, this shrub is covered with clusters of white blossoms opening from pink buds over a long period in late winter. Excellent early nectar source for hummingbirds and bees. Plant in full sun to very light shade with little to no water once established.
More information »	Arctostaphylos auriculata (Mount Diablo manzanita) From the rocky slopes of Mount Diablo comes this rare and delightful manzanita. Smallish, fuzzy, grey leaves densely cover the branches over mahogany-red trunks. Late winter brings flowers ranging in color from pink to white. This species grows slowly and densely to about 5 or 6 ft. tall and at least as wide. Needs full sun. Make sure to provide excellent drainage and little to no irrigation once established.
More information »	Arctostaphylos bakeri 'Louis Edmunds' (Baker's manzanita) A beautiful and durable upright manzanita reaching 5 - 6 ft. tall and wide. This species is native to Sonoma Co. where it is considered very rare and threatened by development. Handsome gray-green foliage with wonderful purplish-brown trunks contrast nicely with showy clusters of pink urn-shaped flowers in spring. Great for sunny areas where it endures heat and drought but enjoys an occasional deep watering. The manzanita berries can attract mockingbirds, robins, and cedar waxwings. It provides low shrubby cover for quail and wren-tits and its flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds.
More information »	Arctostaphylos canescens (hoary manzanita) Plant description coming soon.
More information »	Arctostaphylos columbiana (hairy manzanita) From Northern California’s coastline and outer Coast Ranges comes one of the largest of all manzanitas. This stately large shrub can reach well over 15 ft. tall, often developing a contorted shape with age. The large, gray-green leaves contrast well with the burnished, rust-red trunks. Clusters of white flowers emerge in spring followed by matte-red fruits. This is THE upright manzanita for coastal areas with good drainage. Provide full sun and no irrigation once established.
More information »	Arctostaphylos cruzensis (Arroyo de la Cruz manzanita) This rare, ground-hugging manzanita comes from the San Luis Obispo coast. Features grey-green, wedge-shaped leaves and soft pink flowers in the winter. Its distinctive creeping habit makes it ideal for crawling over walls or lining walkways. Provide full sun to light shade and moderate to infrequent irrigation once established. Good in containers.
More information »	Arctostaphylos densiflora (Vine Hill manzanita) One of California's rarest natives, this is the pure, true species. Exists only in a very small preserve in western Sonoma Co.. Distinctive for the profusion of beautiful pink to white urn-shaped blossoms they produce in winter and small, shiny bright green leaves. Variable in height but typically grows 3 ft. tall by 6 ft. wide. Does best in its native Sebastopol sandy soils with full sun to light shade and occasional to no summer irrigation.
More information »	Arctostaphylos densiflora 'James West' (Vine Hill manzanita) This wonderful, drought tolerant, low growing manzanita from Sonoma County appears in form and other details to be a selection of the pure species of the very rare Vine Hill Manzanita. It is a very choice cultivar, seldom available in the trade. Grows 18 - 24 inches by 6 ft. in ten years and flowers from January through March with thick heads of shell pink flowers. Good drainage, as with all manzanitas and occasional to no irrigation once established. Full sun.
More information »	Arctostaphylos edmundsii 'Bert Johnson' (Little Sur manzanita) Choice, low growing manzanita introduced by the Tilden Botanic Garden. Dense, mounding or cascading habit growing to around a foot tall by 6 ft. wide with small dark green leaves and bronzy new growth. Not as fast growing as 'Carmel Sur'. Clusters of tiny pink to white urn-shaped flowers in winter attract hummingbirds and are followed by handsome cinnamon colored little apple-shaped fruits. Excellent cascading over walls, rocks, or containers in sun to light shade. This manzanita has proven adaptable and fairly garden tolerant putting up with heavy soils and more summer water than many. Full sun along the coast with light shade in hot inland sites. Drought tolerant once established but appreciates occasional summer water.
More information »	Arctostaphylos edmundsii 'Big Sur' (Little Sur manzanita) Prized for its compact size and clean, rich green foliage, this selection from the Central Coast is a great addition to smaller gardens, where a rounded, upright manzanita is called for, that doesn’t get too big. Reaches 3’ – 5’ tall and up to 5’ wide, with a somewhat open habit that shows off its beautifully sculpted, burnished red trunk. The winter blossoms are larger than those on many manzanitas, and are a soft, pinkish-white. ‘Big Sur’ enjoys average soil and is tolerant of garden conditions, being quite disease resistant. Plant in full sun or very light shade with little to no water once established. We’ve found it to be very amenable to pruning for small spaces. Gopher resistant.
More information »	Arctostaphylos edmundsii 'Carmel Sur' (Little Sur manzanita) Perhaps the fastest growing variety of this species. Attractive gray-green foliage with a dense, spreading habit under 1 ft. tall and 6 ft. across. Light pink flowers appear in winter but are few and infrequent. A handsome alternative to other groundcover manzanitas. More drought and heat tolerant than the bearberries and 'Emerald Carpet'. Likes full sun but may enjoy a little afternoon shade in especially hot inland sites.
More information »	Arctostaphylos franciscana (Franciscan manzanita) This distinctive clone of the very rare franciscan manzanita displays luxuriant growth of shiny, dark green leaves spreading fairly quickly to form a dense drift up to eight ft wide and 2 ft tall. An excellent groundcover similar in appearance to A. uva-ursi but more drought tolerant and somewhat taller. A good manzanita for serpentine but still does well in other soils. Produces a modest display of pinkish white flowers in winter. Plant in full sun but light shade is fine especially in hotter climates. Requires moderate to occasional irrigation once established.
More information »	Arctostaphylos gabilanensis (Gabilan Mountains manzanita) This extremely rare and threatened species wasn’t discovered until the early part of the 21st century, making it the newest species of manzanita to be identified. Not only is it very rare, but it is also extremely beautiful, featuring large, wedge-shaped, fuzzy, grey leaves and new growth flushed rosy-pink. Smooth, burgundy bark clothes the contoured branches which support clusters of whitish flowers in mid-winter, followed by red fruits in the summer. This slow growing shrub will eventually reach a height of 6 ft. or more with a broader width. Provide full sun. Needs decent drainage and will be very drought tolerant once established.
More information »	Arctostaphylos glandulosa (Eastwood manzanita) Plant description coming soon.
More information »	Arctostaphylos glandulosa f. repens 'Mount Vision' (Eastwood manzanita) Found only in the Bishop pine forest of the Point Reyes Peninsula, the form repens has a low and mounding habit. This particular selection was picked for its exceptionally compact and creeping nature and large, gray-green leaves. Clusters of white flowers hang from branch tips in early winter. While slower growing than most other groundcover manzanitas, this cultivar will eventually reach about 6 ft wide with a height of about 1 ft. 'Mount Vision' is best planted as a specimen rather than in mass plantings. Very drought tolerant once established with full sun to light shade. An excellent container plant.
More information »	Arctostaphylos glauca (bigberry manzanita) Description coming soon.
More information »	Arctostaphylos hookeri 'Monterey Carpet' (Monterey manzanita) Evergreen, creeping manzanita less than 1 ft. tall with small, deep green leaves. Dark red branches tend to root and increase its spread to 8 ft. or so wide. Small clusters of white flowers appear in late winter to early spring. Prefers a little shade inland. Drought tolerant but enjoys occasional irrigation in inland sites. Perfect under deciduous oaks or tall pines. Works well in spots where the creeping branches can spill over an edge, creating a cascade effect.
More information »	Arctostaphylos hookeri 'Wayside' (Monterey manzanita) A robust selection of the Monterey manzanita with dense branches growing up to 3 ft. high by 8 ft or more broad. Attractive upsweeping crooked trunks with little white flowers and small deep green leaves. Occurring on open hills around Monterey Bay. Despite its somewhat coastal origin, this selection tolerates, sun, heat and drought quite well. That being said, it will also accept occasional irrigation and light shade. A very useful plant for covering large sunny banks with poor soil.
More information »	Arctostaphylos hookeri spp. hearstiorum (Hearst's manzanita) Description coming soon!
More information »	Arctostaphylos hookeri x pajaroensis - Tilden form (manzanita) We thank Tilden Botanic Garden for this natural cross from the Pajaro River area of Monterey Bay. While similar to ‘Sunset’, this selection has somewhat denser foliage and thicker, more rigid stems. A vigorous and disease resistant manzanita with dark green, wedge-shaped leaves and bronzy-red new growth. In late winter, small, whitish flowers draw native bees into the garden for nectar. The slightly shaggy, cinnamon-colored bark covers the contorted trunks to great effect. Reaches up to a height of about 5 or 6 ft. and a width of around 7 ft. Provide full sun to part shade. Is more tolerant of heavy soils than many manzanitas and will accept moderate to infrequent irrigation in the garden.