What’s Blooming Now?  February

Manzanita

Arctostaphylos spp.

One of the earliest bloomers of the new year is Manzanita, a treasured local native that thrives in the poor soil and low-water conditions of much of our area.  Their native range is from southern British Columbia through the West and into much of Mexico, with approximately 100 species and subspecies, many of which have been cultivated.  There are Manzanitas that are appropriate for sandy or clay soil, full sun to half shade, and range in size from very low groundcovers to full sized trees.

Manzanita are evergreen and the trunk and limbs have a beautiful reddish/orange bark that peels in an attractive manner and can lend a striking architectural look when pruned well. The bare branches are beautiful as part of arrangements.  The wildlife value of this plant is high due to the profusion of flowers in the winter and summer berries which support a number of native birds and other animals. 

Some manzanitas can be fire hazards, but with appropriate selection, placement and maintenance others are fire safe. Homeowners should consider defensible space guidelines before planting them near their homes.  The Conservation Committee has produced a separate document describing Understory Habitat and Defensible Space, available through the town website.

Check with your local nursery for help finding the appropriate variety for your landscaping needs.

Did you know?

• Manzanita means “little apple” in Spanish?
• The berries are edible and can be eaten by themselves or ground into a meal.
• Native Americans made an herbal tea from the leaves to treat poison oak rash.
• The ‘Dr. Hurd’ manzanita variant was discovered here in Portola Valley and is a very popular tree-sized form that tolerates a wide variety of local conditions.
• Most manzanita do not tolerate summer water once established.
• There is a manzanita appropriate to replace almost all standard landscaping plants and they support a much wider array of insects, the basis of our local biome, which are rapidly becoming critically endangered.