Arctostaphylos hookeri
Hooker's manzanita
(c) Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Ericaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Arctostaphylos hookeri (Hooker's manzanita) is a native California shrub in the Ericaceae family, recognized by distinctive crook-necked inflorescence diagnostic.
Hooker's manzanita is a California native shrub found in coastal and coastal mountain ranges in mixed evergreen and chaparral habitats. Flowering from January to March, this plant produces white to pink urn-shaped flowers in small, drooping clusters. Growing with distinctive smooth, reddish-brown bark and erect branches 1 to 3 meters tall, it develops a complex, twisting growth form. Its leaves are bright green, shiny, and somewhat leathery, with acute tips and entire margins that become increasingly glabrous as they mature. The fruit is a small, spherical drupe approximately 3 to 8 millimeters wide with variably fused stones.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 45 sympatric species; distinctive crook-necked inflorescence diagnostic
Habitat and range
California counties: Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Del Norte, Orange, San Francisco, Alameda, Yolo, Marin
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 hookeri native to California?
Yes. Arctostaphylos hookeri is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Arctostaphylos hookeri grow?
Arctostaphylos hookeri occurs in Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Del Norte, Orange, San Francisco, Alameda, Yolo and other counties.
What plant family does Arctostaphylos hookeri belong to?
Arctostaphylos hookeri is in the Ericaceae family, genus Arctostaphylos.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Arctostaphylos hookeri subsp. hearstiorum — Hearsts' manzanita
- Arctostaphylos hookeri subsp. hookeri — Hooker's manzanita
- Arctostaphylos hooveri — Hoover's manzanita
- Arctostaphylos imbricata — San bruno mountain manzanita
- Arctostaphylos insularis — Island manzanita
- Arctostaphylos klamathensis — Klamath 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.