Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. manzanita
(c) Dean Wm. Taylor, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Ericaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. manzanita is a native California shrub in the Ericaceae family, recognized by widespread distribution, no burl, variable leaf coloration.
Manzanita is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, southern Cascade Range, northern Sierra Nevada foothills, northern Sierra Nevada, Sacramento Valley, and northern San Francisco Bay Area in woodland, chaparral, and conifer forest at elevations of 30 to 1,200 meters. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces pale pink to white urn-shaped flowers in compact clusters. Growing with smooth to sparsely hairy twigs and reaching heights of 1 to 4 meters, it forms a distinctive branching structure with a woody base. Its leaves are dull to bright green, typically leathery and oval-shaped, arranged alternately along the branches. The fruit consists of smooth, hard stones that may be variably fused or remain separate.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 50 sympatric species; widespread distribution, no burl, variable leaf coloration
Habitat and range
Habitat: Woodland, chaparral, conifer forest
Elevation: 30-1200 m
California counties: Humboldt, Sonoma, Lake, Butte, Glenn, Santa Clara, Mendocino, Trinity, Amador, Tehama, Calaveras, Napa, Monterey, Plumas, Shasta, Lassen, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Solano, Contra Costa, Tulare, Modoc, Alameda, Siskiyou, Marin, Sutter, San Mateo, El Dorado, Placer, Colusa, Kern, Stanislaus, Fresno, Yolo, Sierra, San Diego, Del Norte
Bloom period
Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. manzanita blooms Feb-May.
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 manzanita subsp. manzanita native to California?
Yes. Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. manzanita is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. manzanita bloom?
Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. manzanita blooms Feb-May.
Where in California does Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. manzanita grow?
Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. manzanita occurs in Humboldt, Sonoma, Lake, Butte, Glenn, Santa Clara, Mendocino, Trinity and other counties, at elevations of 30-1200 m.
What plant family does Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. manzanita belong to?
Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. manzanita is in the Ericaceae family, genus Arctostaphylos.
What habitat does Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. manzanita grow in?
Arctostaphylos manzanita subsp. manzanita grows in Woodland, chaparral, conifer forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.