Arctostaphylos pechoensis
Pecho manzanita, Pecho manzanita, Pecho manzanita
(c) Bruce Bailey, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Bruce Bailey · licence
Family: Ericaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Arctostaphylos pechoensis (Pecho manzanita) is a native California shrub in the Ericaceae family, recognized by clasping leaves and large linear bracts.
Pecho manzanita is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native shrub found in southern Central Coast bioregion from Morro Bay to Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County, occurring on shale outcrops, in chaparral and conifer forest at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from January to March, this plant produces white to pink flowers in pendulous panicle clusters with distinctive leaf-like bracts. Growing erectly to 1 to 5 meters tall with white-hairy twigs and a branching structure, it develops a complex architectural form with multiple stems. Its leaves are oblong-ovate, 2 to 5 centimeters long, green to glaucous in color, with a clasping base and entire margins that become glabrous with age. The fruit is a depressed-spheric structure 8 to 12 millimeters wide, with stones typically fused together.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 32 sympatric species; key features are clasping leaves and large linear bracts
Habitat and range
Habitat: Shale outcrops, chaparral, conifer forest
Elevation: < 500 m
California counties: San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Francisco
Bloom period
Arctostaphylos pechoensis blooms Jan-Mar.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
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 pechoensis native to California?
Yes. Arctostaphylos pechoensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Arctostaphylos pechoensis bloom?
Arctostaphylos pechoensis blooms Jan-Mar.
Where in California does Arctostaphylos pechoensis grow?
Arctostaphylos pechoensis occurs in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, at elevations of < 500 m.
What plant family does Arctostaphylos pechoensis belong to?
Arctostaphylos pechoensis is in the Ericaceae family, genus Arctostaphylos.
Is Arctostaphylos pechoensis rare or endangered?
Arctostaphylos pechoensis carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.