Arctostaphylos canescens
Hoary manzanita
(c) 2012 John Game, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Ericaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Arctostaphylos canescens (Hoary manzanita) is a native California shrub in the Ericaceae family, recognized by Hoary gray-canescent, erect leaves; twigs canescent to white-tomentose; no burl (seeder).
Hoary manzanita is a native shrub found in California mountain ranges in chaparral and forest habitats. Flowering from January to March, this plant produces white to pink urn-shaped flowers in delicate pendulous clusters. Growing erectly to 3 meters tall with distinctively white-gray twigs covered in soft tomentose hair, it forms a striking architectural shrub. Its leaves are rounded to ovate, 2 to 5 centimeters long with a soft gray appearance, featuring entire margins and rounded to wedge-shaped bases. The fruit is a depressed spherical structure 5 to 10 millimeters wide, characteristic of manzanita species.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Hoary gray-canescent, erect leaves; twigs canescent to white-tomentose; no burl (seeder)
Habitat and range
California counties: Humboldt, Mendocino, Los Angeles, Glenn, Tehama, Plumas, Sonoma, Marin, Lake, Trinity, Del Norte, Kern, Shasta, Santa Cruz, Napa, Monterey, Solano, Colusa, Santa Clara
How to tell it apart
vs Arbutus: Arctostaphylos fruits are smooth and mealy; Arbutus fruits are bumpy and juicy.; vs Rhus: Arctostaphylos has simple evergreen leaves; Rhus has compound deciduous leaves.; vs Quercus: Arctostaphylos has urn-shaped flowers and berry-like fruits; Quercus has catkins and acorns.; vs Xylococcus: Arctostaphylos leaves are flat; Xylococcus leaves have margins rolled tightly under.; vs Heteromeles: Arctostaphylos has urn-shaped flowers; Heteromeles has flat white flower clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Arctostaphylos canescens native to California?
Yes. Arctostaphylos canescens is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Arctostaphylos canescens grow?
Arctostaphylos canescens occurs in Humboldt, Mendocino, Los Angeles, Glenn, Tehama, Plumas, Sonoma, Marin and other counties.
What plant family does Arctostaphylos canescens belong to?
Arctostaphylos canescens is in the Ericaceae family, genus Arctostaphylos.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Arctostaphylos canescens subsp. canescens — Hoary manzanita
- Arctostaphylos canescens subsp. sonomensis — Sonoma canescent manzanita
- Arctostaphylos catalinae — Santa catalina island manzanita
- Arctostaphylos columbiana — Columbia manzanita
- Arctostaphylos confertiflora — Santa rosa island manzanita
- Arctostaphylos crustacea — Brittle leaf manzanita
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.