Arctostaphylos glauca

Arctostaphylos glauca

Arctostaphylos glauca

Botanical Name: Arctostaphylos glauca
Common Name: Blue Manzanita or Bigberry Manzanita

Beautiful tree-like habit with large pale green foliage and gorgeous red bark. Fast-growing for a manzanita. Beautiful specimen, and tough as nails. Edible fruit. Flowers attract hummingbirds.

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Plant Family: Ericaceae

Plant Type: Shrub

Height by Width: 12' H x 12' W

Growth Habit: Shrub or small tree

Deciduous/Evergreen: Evergreen

Growth Rate: Moderate

Sun Exposure: Full sun

Soil Preference: Adaptable

Water Requirements: Drought-tolerant to occasional

Cold Hardy to: 10 degrees F

Flower Season: Winter/Spring

Flower Color: White

Endangered?: Not Listed

Distribution: Northeast San Francisco Bay (Mt. Diablo), Inner South Coast Range, Transverse Range, Peninsular Range, southwest Desert Mtns. (Little San Bernardino Mtns.)

Natural Habitat: Rocky slopes, chaparral, woodland. Elevation: below 4500'

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Care and Maintenance

• With proper placement, manzanitas require little maintenance. Selectively prune to remove dead branches or to reveal structure. Avoid unnecessary pruning. Manzanitas are prone to branch die-back, caused by a naturally occurring fungal pathogen. When removing dead branches, sterilize pruning shears with alcohol between cuts to prevent the spread of the disease.

History

• Introduced into cultivation in California by Theodore Payne.
• From California Native Plants, Theodore Payne's 1941 catalog: "An interesting shrub with crooked red-barked branches and handsome glaucous foliage. Particularly attractive in mid-winter when covered with clusters of white or pink urn-shaped flowers. Especially desirable for dry places. Gallon cans, $1.00."

Other Names

References

• Bornstein, Carol, David Fross, and Bart O'Brien. California Native Plants for the Garden. Los Olivos, CA: Cachuma Press. 2005.

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