Arctostaphylos glauca

Common Names

Bigberry Manzanita, Big Berry Manzanita, Big-berry Manzanita, Blue Manzanita, Great-Berried Manzanita

Summary

Big Berry Manzanita is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to California and Baja California, with smooth red-brown bark, gray-green glaucous leaves, and urn-shaped white to pinkish flowers. Its large edible berries are the largest of any manzanita, ripen red, and provide food for wildlife. It is long-lived, with fruiting beginning around age 20.

It grows 3–20 ft tall and 6–20 ft wide in full sun to partial shade on well-drained acidic to neutral soils, and becomes drought-tolerant once established after year one. Propagation is by seed or layering. Uses include rock gardens, Mediterranean-style landscapes, erosion control, and habitat for pollinators such as bees and hummingbirds, with edible fruit.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3 ft 3 in - 20 ft

Spread

6-20 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7-10.

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun. Tolerates partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained, lime-free soil with textures from loam to sandy loam or rocky, pH 5.5–7.5.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

6.0-8.0

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Winter to Summer

Foliage Color

Blue-green to gray-green foliage

Fall Foliage Color

No fall color change; green year-round.

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Moderate to slow growth, about 0.3–0.6 m per year (1–2 ft/year), with rapid initial growth that slows with age.

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division, Layering

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, other pollinators, birds