Arctostaphylos manzanita
One of many species of manzanita, Arctostaphylos manzanita has the common names common manzanita and whiteleaf manzanita.
| Arctostaphylos manzanita | |
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| Species: | A. manzanita |
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| Arctostaphylos manzanita | |
Arctostaphylos manzanita is endemic to California, where it can be found in the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada foothills. It is common on chaparral slopes and low-elevation coniferous forest ecosystems.
Description
The Arctostaphylos manzanita leaves are bright shiny green, wedge-shaped and pointed. The small white flowers, only a quarter inch long, are cup-shaped and hang upside down. The fruits are berries which are white when new and turn red-brown as the summer wears on. The bark on the long, crooked branches is reddish, making the shrub easily identifiable as a manzanita. It grows into a twisted tree about 15 feet tall.
Like other manzanitas, this species has a hard, attractive wood that has proved useful for making tools and as firewood. The fruit is edible and has a pleasant tartness, but the seeds cause gastrointestinal upset if eaten in large quantities. It has historically been brewed into a cider, including by Native Americans.[1] They are also consumed by bears and chipmunks.[2]
Subspecies
There are several subspecies:
- A. m. elegans - Konocti manzanita
- A. m. glaucescens - Whiteleaf manzanita
- A. m. laevigata - Contra Costa manzanita
- A. m. manzanita - Whiteleaf manzanita
- A. m. roofii - Roof's manzanita
- A. m. wieslanderi - Wieslander's manzanita
References
- Whitney, Stephen (1985). Western Forests (The Audubon Society Nature Guides). New York: Knopf. p. 377. ISBN 0-394-73127-1.
- Peattie, Donald Culross (1953). A Natural History of Western Trees. New York: Bonanza Books. p. 672.
- Casebeer, M. (2004). Discover California Shrubs. Sonora, California: Hooker Press. ISBN 0-9665463-1-8
