Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Bear-berry, kinnikinnick, Kinnikinnick
(c) Syd Cannings, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Ericaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Bear-berry) is a native California shrub in the Ericaceae family, recognized by prostrate growth form is highly distinctive among manzanitas.
Bear-berry is a California native shrub found in northern coastal California, central Sierra Nevada highlands, and central coastal California in rocky outcrops, slopes, stabilized dunes, closed-cone conifer forest, and chaparral at elevations generally below 100 meters. Flowering from January to June, this plant produces white to pink urn-shaped flowers in small racemes that hang delicately. Growing prostrate to mounded, typically 10 to 50 centimeters tall with a burled or spreading form, it spreads across ground surfaces with woody, flexible stems. Its leaves are distinctive, spreading and oblanceolate to obovate, 1 to 2.5 centimeters long, dark green above and light green underneath, with entire margins often slightly cupped. The fruit is a spheric, glabrous berry 6 to 12 millimeters wide, characteristic of the Arctostaphylos genus.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 46 sympatric species; prostrate growth form is highly distinctive among manzanitas
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky outcrops, slopes, stabilized dunes, closed-cone conifer forest, grassy coastal headlands, chaparral, subalpine forest
Elevation: generally < 100 m (2400-3300 m in c SNH)
California counties: Monterey, Mono, Humboldt, Mendocino, Marin, Los Angeles, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Del Norte, Sonoma, Tuolumne, El Dorado, Placer
Outside California: to Alaska, Greenland, Virginia, Colorado, New Mexico, also Guatemala, circumboreal
Bloom period
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi blooms Jan-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 uva-ursi native to California?
Yes. Arctostaphylos uva-ursi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Arctostaphylos uva-ursi bloom?
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi blooms Jan-Jun.
Where in California does Arctostaphylos uva-ursi grow?
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi occurs in Monterey, Mono, Humboldt, Mendocino, Marin, Los Angeles, San Mateo, Santa Cruz and other counties, at elevations of generally < 100 m (2400-3300 m in c SNH).
What plant family does Arctostaphylos uva-ursi belong to?
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi is in the Ericaceae family, genus Arctostaphylos.
What habitat does Arctostaphylos uva-ursi grow in?
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi grows in Rocky outcrops, slopes, stabilized dunes, closed-cone conifer forest, grassy coastal headlands, chaparral, subalpine 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.