Arctostaphylos crustacea subsp. subcordata

Santa cruz island manzanita, Santa Cruz Island Manzanita, Santa Cruz Island manzanita

Family: Ericaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.2

Santa Cruz island manzanita is a rare (CNPS 4.2) California native shrub found in northern Channel Islands, specifically on Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa islands, in chaparral and conifer forest at elevations of 100 to 730 meters. Flowering from February to April, this plant produces white to pale pink flowers with distinctive glandular-hairy twigs and nascent flower clusters. Growing with a dense, spreading form and reaching heights typical of manzanita shrubs, it has intricate branches covered in glandular hairs. Its leaves are soft and slightly fuzzy, with undersides that are tomentose and sparsely glandular-hairy, creating a textured appearance. The plant's ovary is covered in white, non-glandular hairs, adding to its unique botanical characteristics.

Habitat: Chaparral, conifer forest

Bloom period: Feb-Apr

Elevation: 100-730 m

Bioregions: n ChI (Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa islands).

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.