Arctostaphylos crustacea
Brittle leaf manzanita
(c) Stan Shebs, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Ericaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Arctostaphylos crustacea (Brittle leaf manzanita) is a native California shrub in the Ericaceae family, recognized by Prominent basal burl; spreading, dark-green leaves, base truncate to lobed.
Brittle leaf manzanita is a California native shrub found in rocky chaparral habitats, growing one to three meters tall with a prominent basal burl. Flowering from January to March, this plant produces pink to white urn-shaped flowers in pendulous panicle clusters with branches two to eight millimeters long. Growing with erect stems that are glabrous or slightly hairy, it develops a distinctive woody structure with spreading branches. Its leaves are dark green above and light green below, oblong-ovate, two to five centimeters long, with entire margins that are occasionally slightly toothed and often cupped or rolled. The fruit is a depressed-spheric structure six to ten millimeters wide, with stones that may be variably fused or free.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Prominent basal burl; spreading, dark-green leaves, base truncate to lobed
Habitat and range
California counties: Santa Barbara, San Mateo, Contra Costa, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Alameda, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, Marin, Mendocino
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 crustacea native to California?
Yes. Arctostaphylos crustacea is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Arctostaphylos crustacea grow?
Arctostaphylos crustacea occurs in Santa Barbara, San Mateo, Contra Costa, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other counties.
What plant family does Arctostaphylos crustacea belong to?
Arctostaphylos crustacea is in the Ericaceae family, genus Arctostaphylos.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Arctostaphylos crustacea subsp. crinita — Crinite manzanita
- Arctostaphylos crustacea subsp. crustacea
- Arctostaphylos crustacea subsp. eastwoodiana — Eastwood's brittle-leaf manzanita
- Arctostaphylos crustacea subsp. insulicola — Island manzanita
- Arctostaphylos crustacea subsp. rosei — Rose's manzanita
- Arctostaphylos crustacea subsp. subcordata — Santa cruz island manzanita
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.