Arctostaphylos patula
Greenleaf manzanita
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Family: Ericaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Arctostaphylos patula (Greenleaf manzanita) is a native California shrub in the Ericaceae family, recognized by distinctive bright green round leaves with metallic sheen.
Greenleaf manzanita is a native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Ranges, Sierra Nevada, southern Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, San Jacinto Mountains, eastern Peninsular Ranges, and Modoc Plateau in montane chaparral and conifer forest at elevations of 750 to 3,350 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces pink to white flowers in pendulous clusters with delicate golden or silvery-haired twigs. Growing 1 to 3 meters tall with an erect form, it develops a flat or obscure underground burl. Its bright green leaves are widely ovate to round, 2.5 to 6 centimeters long, with a shiny surface and abruptly soft-pointed tips that become glabrous with maturity. The fruit is a nearly spheric structure 7 to 10 millimeters wide with stones that may be variably fused or free.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 51 sympatric species; distinctive bright green round leaves with metallic sheen
Habitat and range
Habitat: Montane chaparral, conifer forest
Elevation: 750-3350 m.
California counties: San Bernardino, Kern, Los Angeles, Tulare, Riverside, Tehama, Butte, Mariposa, Plumas, Nevada, Shasta, Tuolumne, Modoc, Siskiyou, El Dorado, Trinity, Fresno, Inyo, Mendocino, Madera, Sierra, Placer, Amador, Sonoma, Mono, Humboldt, Alpine, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Del Norte, Calaveras, Lassen, Lake, Glenn, San Diego, Yuba, Colusa, Alameda, Napa
Outside California: to Washington, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Baja California.
Bloom period
Arctostaphylos patula blooms Apr-Jun.
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 patula native to California?
Yes. Arctostaphylos patula is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Arctostaphylos patula bloom?
Arctostaphylos patula blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Arctostaphylos patula grow?
Arctostaphylos patula occurs in San Bernardino, Kern, Los Angeles, Tulare, Riverside, Tehama, Butte, Mariposa and other counties, at elevations of 750-3350 m..
What plant family does Arctostaphylos patula belong to?
Arctostaphylos patula is in the Ericaceae family, genus Arctostaphylos.
What habitat does Arctostaphylos patula grow in?
Arctostaphylos patula grows in Montane 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.