Arctostaphylos cruzensis

Arroyo de la cruz manzanita, Arroyo De La Cruz manzanita, Arroyo de la Cruz manzanita, Arroyo de la Cruz manzanita

Family: Ericaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Arroyo de la cruz manzanita is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native shrub found in central California Coast bioregion in southern Monterey and northwestern San Luis Obispo counties, inhabiting sandy bluffs, maritime chaparral, and coastal prairie at elevations below 150 meters. Flowering from January to March, this plant produces white to pink flowers in pendulous, bell-shaped clusters hidden by large bracts. Growing prostrate with a low-spreading form to 1 meter tall, it develops bright green, oblong-ovate leaves that are tomentose when young and become smooth with age. Its leaves measure 1.5 to 3 centimeters long, have clasping bases, and feature delicate hairy margins near the leaf base. The fruit is a depressed spherical berry approximately 8 to 10 millimeters wide, with stones that may be variably fused or separate.

Habitat: Sandy bluffs, maritime chaparral, coastal prairie

Bloom period: Jan-Mar

Elevation: < 150 m

Bioregions: c CCo (s Monterey, nw San Luis Obispo cos.).

California counties: San Mateo, San Luis Obispo, Monterey

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