Arctostaphylos rainbowensis

Rainbow manzanita, Rainbow manzanita, Rainbow manzanita

Family: Ericaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Rainbow manzanita is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native shrub found in the San Diego and Riverside counties region in chaparral and granitic outcrops at elevations of 150 to 800 meters. Flowering from January to February, this plant produces light pink to white flowers in pendulous panicles with delicate branching. Growing erect and burled to 1 to 4 meters tall, it develops distinctive glandular twigs that appear smooth. Its leaves are elliptic-ovate, 3.5 to 5 centimeters long, light green to gray-glaucous with a rounded base and entire margins. The fruit is a spheric structure 8 to 12 millimeters wide, white-glaucous with dark brown and purple-tinged coloration, featuring fused stones.

Habitat: Granitic outcrops, chaparral

Bloom period: Jan-Feb

Elevation: 150-800 m

Bioregions: PR (San Diego, Riverside cos.).

California counties: San Diego, Riverside

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