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Common Manzanita

Arctostaphylos manzanita

Sculptural evergreen with smooth mahogany-red bark, gray-green leaves, and urn-shaped winter flowers that feed early hummingbirds. An architectural anchor for dry gardens. Like other manzanitas, the tart fruit is eaten fresh, dried into cakes, or made into jelly and cider — best in moderation, since it's fibrous and can be hard to digest in quantity.

Family

Ericaceae

Type

shrub

Lifespan

perennial

Height

8–8 ft

Spacing

6–15 ft apart

Light

part shade

Soil moisture

dry, moist

Soil pH

acidic, neutral

Bloom

February, March, April

Bloom colors

white, pink

Wildlife value

songbirds, pollinators

Caterpillar hosts

~17 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

specimen, hedge or screen

Native states

CA