Arctostaphylos tomentosa
Woolly leaf manzanita
(c) Dean Wm. Taylor, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Ericaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Arctostaphylos tomentosa (Woolly leaf manzanita) is a native California shrub in the Ericaceae family, recognized by . Limited bioregion data available.
Woolly leaf manzanita is a California native shrub found in coastal and mountain regions in chaparral and woodland habitats. Flowering from January to March, this plant produces pink to white urn-shaped flowers in pendant clusters with delicate branch structures. Growing erect to 1 to 3 meters tall with a prominent underground burl and distinctive gray bark that shreds with age, the manzanita develops a sculptural, multi-stemmed form. Its leaves are oblong-ovate, 2 to 5 centimeters long, dark green and somewhat shiny on the upper surface, with entire margins that are occasionally slightly toothed or cupped. The fruit is a depressed spherical drupe 6 to 10 millimeters wide, often covered in fine hairs and containing variably fused stone segments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated. Limited bioregion data available
Habitat and range
California counties: Santa Barbara, Monterey, Riverside, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Humboldt, San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura, Santa Clara, Alameda, Solano, Butte
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 tomentosa native to California?
Yes. Arctostaphylos tomentosa is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Arctostaphylos tomentosa grow?
Arctostaphylos tomentosa occurs in Santa Barbara, Monterey, Riverside, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo and other counties.
What plant family does Arctostaphylos tomentosa belong to?
Arctostaphylos tomentosa is in the Ericaceae family, genus Arctostaphylos.
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.