Arctostaphylos viscida

Common Names

Whiteleaf Manzanita, Sticky Whiteleaf Manzanita, Sticky Manzanita

Summary

Sticky Whiteleaf Manzanita is native to California and Oregon, an evergreen shrub or small tree found in chaparral and open forests from 500–5,000 ft, featuring red bark, dull green to glaucous oval leaves, and dense clusters of urn-shaped white to pale pink flowers with small, round, sticky drupes as fruit, and it is fire-adapted with seeds that germinate after scarification by fire, supported by a soil seed bank that aids recolonization after fires.

Culture and use: very low water requirements once established, tolerates drought, and prefers well-drained soils and is adaptable to clay, decomposed granite, and serpentine soils with a pH of 6.0–7.8; sun to partial shade; hardy to 0°F; not very garden-tolerant but easily grown in native gardens; often dominant or co-dominant in landscapes; fruits edible and used by Miwok to make cider, leaves medicinally used by Wintu; provides wildlife habitat and food, with pollinators including bees, moths, and butterflies; aids erosion control and can be used in chaparral or yellow pine forest-inspired landscapes; propagation by seed after scarification or by semi-mature cuttings.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3-12 feet

Spread

3-8 ft

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7-10

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained lime-free soil; tolerates clay, decomposed granite, and serpentine.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

6.0-7.8

Bloom Color

White to pale pink

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Gray-green foliage

Fall Foliage Color

No fall foliage color; evergreen.

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Moderate

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Layering

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds are attracted.