A selection from near Bonny Doon that confused us at first as it looks like silvicola but with hairy stems and slightly different foliage. Better manzanita experts than us determined it was likely a hybrid of silvicola and crustacea ssp. crinita. Whatever it is, it’s a stunning blue and a vigorous upright grower. Real nice!
Arctostaphylos pringlei and it’s two subspecies is one that we’ve become increasingly fond of in recent years. This subspecies from the San Bernardino Mountains has gorgeous blue foliage held on yellow stems and a bronzey rose colored new growth that is excellent. It also appears this plant is verging on being carnivorous at times as the new growth has an abundance of sticky hairs that often catches small winged insects. Very handsome and rarely seen species!
Santa Cruz Manzanita is a rare and threatened species that grows in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It looks somewhat like Arctostaphylos pajaroensis due to its auriculate leaves and bright red growth tips, but typically has a larger leaf and more upright form,
An infamous manzanita that was planted decades ago along the side of Interstate 84 at Starvation Creek State Park. There are a few individuals here that have gotten to incredible proportions with trunks that look more like what you’d see on a madrone than most manzanitas. This clone is from the largest one planted there and has shown ease of cultivation in the nursery and garden so far with minimal leaf spotting. Keep an eye out for these beauties next time you’re driving through the Gorge!
An interesting, beautiful and rarely seen manzanita from the diverse mountains outside San Luis Obispo, Santa Margarita manzanita looks a bit like Arctostaphylos glauca, which it grows amongst, but with the hairs of pajaroensis or columbiana. So far it’s been fairly well behaved in cultivation, withstanding our coldest winters, summer heat spikes and nursery culture with ease.
A fantastic species in the center of manzanita diversity around San Luis Obispo. This is our favorite selection of this very lovely blue leaved species with slightly fuzzy leaves and pink stems. The new growth is a lovely pinkish orange with red accents around the leaf edge that later fade to a soft blue.
A compact selection with new growth that ages to a subtle purple color late in the season when conditions are dry. It contrasts beautifully with the blue older growth. Purple Waves forms a large mound that has great texture when the foliage turns purple late in the season.
A larger leafed form with super vigorous upright growth. Plants get a little larger overall than the typical form and grow quite quickly when young.
Likely our favorite of the many Arctostaphylos luciana selections we’ve made, this one has wonderfully blue foliage along with a deeply auriculate clasping leaf that gives a texture similar to juvenile Eucalyptus foliage. Named for our friend’s daughter Lucia Mae who was born just before we found this beautiful plant.
A favorite manzanita of many Arcto-philes, this clone introduced by one of our favorite local nurseries, Xera Plants, it has become very popular since they introduced it. We’ve rarely seen an Arctostaphylos canescens that we didn’t want to grow, but this subspecies and form is particularly pleasing with silvery blue leaves and pink stems on new growth that age to become stunning mahogany trunks. Not the easiest manzanita to cultivate so be sure to site it very carefully, but once it is established it is a wonderful addition to the landscape.
