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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Arctostaphylos patula (Greenleaf manzanita)
Cressler, Alan

Arctostaphylos patula

Arctostaphylos patula Greene

Greenleaf Manzanita, Green-leaf Manzanita

Ericaceae (Heath Family)

Synonym(s): Arctostaphylos acutifolia, Arctostaphylos parryana var. pinetorum, Arctostaphylos patula ssp. platyphylla, Arctostaphylos patula var. coalescens

USDA Symbol: ARPA6

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Green-leaf manzanita is a spreading, much-branched shrub, usually 3-6 ft. tall, with several stems. Its smooth, bright, red-brown, inner bark is revealed as the outer bark shreds off. Round, evergreen leaves are bright green, and the pink, bell-shaped flowers occur in clusters.

A fire-resistant shrub often used as erosion control. Stems root where they touch the ground.

 

From the Image Gallery

21 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Root Type: Tap
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Shape: Ovate
Leaf Venation: Palmate
Leaf Pubescence: Glabrous
Leaf Margin: Entire
Leaf Apex: Acute
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Flowers Bisexual , Monoecious
Fruit Type: Drupe
Size Notes: Up to about 10 feet tall, often shorter.
Leaf: Green
Fruit: Red, Brown, Black 1/4 in.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Pink
Bloom Time: Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , CO , MT , NV , OR , UT , WA
Native Distribution: Sierra Nevadas and North Coast Ranges of CA & OR, e. to CO & n. AZ; also Lake Co., MT
Native Habitat: Open, coniferous, mt. forests; 2000-9000 ft.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Well-drained, slightly acid soils.
Conditions Comments: A fire resistant shrub often used as erosion control. Stems root where they touch the ground.

Benefit

Use Food: Indigenous Californians used manzanita berries to make a cider-like drink.
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds
Nectar Source: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Propagation by seed is can be difficult. Increase can be accomplished through layering.
Seed Collection: The outer fleshy part of the furit may be removed by macering the fruits with water and separating the nutlets by flotation or air-screening.
Seed Treatment: Seeds of most Arctostaphylos species have hard seed coats and dormant embryos. Scarification (several hours in H2SO4) followed by stratification may improve germination.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Web Reference

Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) Calflora
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1987 VOL. 4, NO.2 - Wildflowers Provide Activity in Summer, Beautiful Colorado Beckons, What is Rese...

Additional resources

USDA: Find Arctostaphylos patula in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Arctostaphylos patula in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Arctostaphylos patula

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-10-17
Research By: TWC Staff

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