Arctostaphylos stanfordiana subsp. raichei

Raiche's manzanita, Raiche's Manzanita, Raiche's manzanita

Family: Ericaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Raiche's manzanita is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native shrub found in southern North Coast Ranges Interior, including southern Mendocino and western Lake counties, in chaparral habitats at elevations of 400 to 945 meters. Flowering from February to April, this plant produces white to pink flowers in small clusters that contrast beautifully with its distinctive reddish bark. Growing erect and reaching 1 to 3 meters tall, it develops short glandular-hairy twigs that give the shrub a textured appearance. Its leaves are slightly rough and papillate, with petioles 4 to 8 millimeters long, creating a subtle tactile quality to the plant's surface. The shrub forms a compact, architectural shape characteristic of California's native manzanitas, with its characteristic smooth, reddish stems providing visual interest throughout the year.

Habitat: Chaparral

Bloom period: Feb-Apr

Elevation: 400-945 m

Bioregions: s NCoRI (s Mendocino, w Lake cos.).

California counties: Mendocino, Lake

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