Arctostaphylos crustacea

Identification

Description

Brittleleaf Manzanita is an evergreen shrub 3-4' in height. The new name is Arctostaphylos tomentosa ssp. crustacea. Possessing light- green leaves on reddish stems, a basal burl, bright little pink flowers and slow growing, it is at its best in coastal areas growing in sand overlaying hard pan. This manzanita has performed well here with afternoon shade and some water,and has proved to be hardy to about 0 degrees F here (with no snow cover). This plant is a very nice, formal- looking bush that no one knows about. Its companion plants are Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia.), Sticky Monkey Flower (Diplacus aurantiacus), Hummingbird Sage (Salvia spathacea), Bush Poppy (Dendromecon rigida), and Black Sage (Salvia mellifera). In another spot it was associated with Cercocarpus betuloides, Lonicera hispidula, Ribes speciosum, Bays, and Satureja douglasiana. Brittleleaf Manzanita has the same cultural needs as the previous manzanita species Needs good drainage (no standing water after 60 minutes in a 1 foot hole), will not tolerate the high interior heat, if you are replanting them into the interior area give them afternoon shade, avoid organic amendments. Most of the manzanita have been hardy to @10 deg. f..The manzanita do not usually like the alkaline soil of the interior. We have had less problems with glauca, parryana, and pungens in this soil. In some sites these species are the only ones you have a chance with. Hummingbirds like these bushes for their flowers and structures for nests. These can be very long lived, 100 years plus. In gardens the plants have looked great after 30 years. These have to be mulched. Some Arctostaphylos(in my opinion most) have shown allelopathic effects on herbaceous plants.(Rice) They have their own weed inhibitor. That's why if you mulch you should be weed free in a few years.

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