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Whiteleaf Manzanita

Arctostaphylos viscida

perennial herb View on Calscape

Care

Sun

full sun, part shade

Water

very low

Soil

Fast, Medium, Slow; Tolerates a variety of soils including clay and decomposed granite. Tolerates serpentine soil..

Size

8–16ft tall , 12–12ft wide

Bloom

Jan-Dec

Foliage

Evergreen

Deer

Resistant

Flowers

Prized

Edible

Berries eaten fresh or made into beverages; traditional Indigenous food source

Keystone Plant

Supports up to 68 butterfly and moth species in Mediterranean California

Native Range

Chaparral and oak woodland from the inner Coast Ranges to the Sierra Nevada foothills in central California, 500-3000 ft elevation

Care Guide

Planting

Plant your whiteleaf manzanita in full sun with fast-draining soil - it thrives in decomposed granite, clay, and even serpentine soil, so you have flexibility here. The plant tolerates cold down to 0°F, making it well-suited to Bay Area winters. Space it according to its mature size of 8–16 feet tall, and plant in fall or winter when the plant can establish roots before summer heat.

After Planting

Water twice monthly during the first summer to establish the plant, then cut back to minimal supplemental water once established - this is a low-water native that needs very little summer irrigation. Expect flowers in winter and spring. The biggest mistake people make is overwatering; resist the urge to irrigate frequently, as this plant evolved in dry chaparral and coniferous forests and will rot in soggy soil. Year one is about establishing a deep root system; after that, your manzanita should thrive on rainfall alone in most Bay Area locations.

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