+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## Greenleaf manzanita {#greenleaf-manzanita .Title-Header}           |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| *Arctostaphylos patula* E. Greene                                     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Plant Symbol = ARPA6                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

## *Contributed By: Santa Barbara Botanic Garden & USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center*

# Uses

The fruits of greenleaf manzanita are utilized by bear, deer, other
small mammals, and a wide array of birds. Infusions of the leaves and
bark were used by some native Americans to treat cuts and burns. The
crooked wood of central stems and lower branches are used in several
cottage industries, including lamp stands and other decorative wood
crafts.

# Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status, such as, state noxious status
and wetland indicator values.

# Description

*General*: Heath Family (Ericaceae). Greenleaf manzanita is an erect
evergreen shrub 1-2 m tall, with a broad, rounded crown. It has a basal
burl and consequently resprouts after fire. The bark of young twigs is
resinous to short hairy with golden glands, but mature bark is smooth
and bright red-brown. Leaves have short petioles with ovate to almost
round blades that are 2-5 cm long, 1.5-4 cm wide, bright yellowish
green, and glabrous on both sides. The flowers, which open from April to
June, are arranged in panicles with glandular scale-like bracts that are
3-7 mm long. The urn-shaped corollas are white, sometimes tinged with
pink, and 6-8 mm long. The

fruits are globose, 7-11 mm in diameter, smooth and chestnut brown, with
a mealy pulp that encloses several, hard-walled seeds.

Hybrids between greenleaf manzanita and the prostrate kinnikinnick (*A*.
*uva-ursi*) are found wherever the two species come into contact. Such
hybrids have a spreading form, dense foliage, and white to pinkish
flowers, which offer some promise as landscape ornamentals in areas
experiencing cold
winters.![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.696527777777778in"
height="1.7798611111111111in"}

# Distribution

*Arctostaphylos patula* is one of the most widespread manzanitas,
ranging throughout the mountains of western North America as far east as
Colorado. For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile
page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

# Establishment

*Adaptation*: It inhabits well-drained, rocky slopes in association with
coniferous forests and high elevation chaparral. Its general geographic
range is characterized by cool, relatively dry summers and wet winters
with precipitation ranging from 50 to 80 inches per year, partly as
snow. It prefers well-drained, acidic soils in open sunny sites.
Greenleaf manzanita has a high tolerance for cold, below-freezing
winters, but depends partly on snow cover to protect dormant buds.
Occasional fires may be important to successful seed germination and
establishment and to crown sprouting in senescent plants.

*Natural Establishment*: *Arctostaphylos patula*, like most manzanita
species, requires insect visitation to ensure seed-set. The flowers are
pollinated most effectively by bees that grasp the flower and shake it
by actively beating their wings. This process, like shaking a salt and
pepper container, permits efficient collection of the pollen, which is
used for food. Fruits are dispersed primarily by animals, which
presumably aid later germination by ingesting and digesting the fruit
and softening the outer seed coat. However, natural germination is
sporadic except after fire, which cracks the hard coat of seeds that
have accumulated in the litter layer. Greenleaf manzanita prefers loose,
well-drained soils and, like other members of the heath family
(Ericaceae), has an obligate relationship with mycorrhizal fungi.

*Seed Propagation*: Propagation from seed is difficult, because of the
thick, bony seed walls and low rates of germination (less than 10%)
without treatment. However, if propagation from seed is desired,
treatment must ensure that the seed coat is broken without damaging the
embryo. Individual seeds may be filed with a steel file, but larger
quantities can be treated by placing them into a container of boiling
water that is removed from the source of heat after 1-2 minutes. Seeds
also respond well to burning, which is accomplished by firing a 4-inch
deep layer of combustible leaves and twigs over a flat planted with
seeds. These treatments crack the seed coats but may reduce viability.
Treated seeds should be stratified in a moist mix of milled spaghnum and
beach sand for 2-8 months until they germinate. Other techniques,
including use of sulfuric acid to soften the seed coat, may enhance
germination, but also requires special precautions against spillage and
contamination.

*Vegetative Propagation*: Vegetative propagation is preferred over
seeds. Greenleaf manzanita is most easily propagated by cutting terminal
shoots that include 1-2 inches of the woody stem from the previous year.
Cuttings work best if taken between March and May and should be dipped
in a rooting hormone before being placed in a moist sand-peat mixture.
Cuttings need to be kept moist by regular watering or misting until
roots appear. Once rooted, they should be transplanted into small
containers using potting soil, to allow for proper root development.
Manzanitas generally do not transplant well, so they should be grown to
vigorous conditions in one-gallon containers and then moved to a
permanent position in the late fall or early winter. Relatively slow
growth rates during the first few years can be expected. If plants are
used in an urban landscape, the use of organic-rich soils and acidified
fertilizers is recommended.

# Management

Under natural conditions, no special management is required to maintain
established manzanitas. Either scarified seeds or well-rooted container
plants may be used to revegetate cleared sites. In the urban landscape,
several horticultural techniques should be used to ensure healthy
plants. All manzanitas should be planted higher than the surrounding
soil to prevent crown rot, which can result from excessive water and
soil moisture, especially during the summer. Overhead watering should
also be avoided because it tends to encourage fungal diseases (e.g.,
*Botryosphaeria*) that cause branch die-back and leaf spot. Manzanitas
are also susceptible to gall-producing aphids (*Tamalia*), which cause
young leaves to curl and cease growth.

Periodic watering every 4-6 weeks will keep foliage healthy without
weakening plants. Mulching is desirable to control weeds, retain soil
moisture, and reduce the need for irrigation. Rock mulches have proven
more successful than organic mulches. Pruning should be avoided and used
only to remove dead wood and diseased branches.

# Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

\'Altura\' Greenleaf Manzanita was released in 1989 by the NRCS Plant
Materials Center in Lockeford, California. This is a native, erect to
semi-erect, evergreen shrub, 3-6 feet high and about 3-5 feet wide. It
was collected from native plants in August and September of 1972 at
South Lake Tahoe, California and was developed as a critical area
stabilization plant for dry, rocky slopes and droughty, well-drained
soils. It is slow to establish ground cover, but 3-4 year old plants
provide good cover and erosion control. Stems root at nodes when put in
contact with the ground by heavy snows. It seems to be useful for
environmental enhancement and foundation plantings around mountain
homes. It grows well in the Tahoe Basin, but is adapted to elevations
down to 2000 feet where precipitation is adequate.

Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil
Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone
book under "United States Government". The Natural Resources
Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading "Department of
Agriculture."

# References

Berg, A. 1974. *Arctostaphylos Adans. Manzanita*. pp. 228-231. IN C.
Schopmeyer (ed.). *Seeds of woody plants in the United States.*
Agriculture Handbook Number 450. USDA, Forest Service, Washington, D.C.

Blum, G. 19??. *Floral biology and pollination strategies of
Arctostaphylos glauca and A. pringlei var. drupacea (Ericaceae)*. Ph.D.
dissertation, University of California, Riverside, California. 134 p.

Carlson, J. & W. Sharp 1975. *Germination of high elevation
manazanitas*. USDA, Forest Service. Tree Planters' Notes 26:10-11,
25-26.

Griffin, J. 1966. *Notes on disjunct foothill species near Burney,
California*. Leaflets of Western Botany 10:296-298.

Griffin, J. 1967. *Soil moisture and vegetation patterns in northern
California forests*. USDA, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Forest and
Range Experiment Station, Berkeley, California. 27 p.

Hanes, T. 1988. *California chaparral*. pp. 417-469. IN M. Barbour and
J. Major. *Terrestrial vegetation of California*. Special Publication
No. 9. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, California. 1030 p.

Kruckeberg, A. 1982. *Gardening with native plants of the Pacific
Northwest*. University of Washington Press, Seattle, Washington. 252 p.

Mallory, J., W. Colwell, & W. Powell 1973*. Soils and vegetation of the
French Gulch Quadrangle, Trinity and Shasta counties, California*.
Bulletin 12. USDA, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Forest and Range
Experiment Station, Berkeley, California. 42 p.

Rundel, P., D. Parsons, & D. Gordon 1988. *Montane and subalpine
vegetation of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges*. pp. 559-599. IN M.
Barbour & J. Major. *Terrestrial vegetation of California*. California
Native Plant Society, Special Publication No. 9. Sacramento, California.
1030 p.

Sawyer, J. & D. Thornburgh 1988. *Montane and subalpine vegetation of
the Klamath Mountains*. pp. 699-732. IN M. Barbour & J. Major.
*Terrestrial vegetation of California*. California Native Plant Society,
Special Publication No. 9. Sacramento, California. 1030 p.

Sawyer, J., D. Thornbaugh, & J. Griffin 1988. *Mixed evergreen forest*.
pp. 359-381. IN M. Barbour & J. Major. *Terrestrial vegetation of
California*. California Native Plant Society, Special Publication No. 9.
Sacramento, California. 1030 p.

Smith, N. 1995. *Manzanitas: A gardener's guide*. *Pacific Horticulture*
56(1):18-33.

Sweeney, J. 1968. *Ecology of some "fire type" vegetations in northern
California*. pp. 111-125. IN *Proceedings of the Tall Timbers Fire
Ecology Conference*, Tall Timbers Research Station, Tallahassee,
Florida.

Thorne, R. 1988. *Montane and subalpine forests of the Transverse and
Peninsular ranges*. pp. 537-557. IN M. Barbour & J. Major. *Terrestrial
vegetation of California*. California Native Plant Society, Special
Publication No. 9. Sacramento, California. 1030 p.

Vankat, J. 1970. *Vegetation change in Sequoia National Park,
California*. Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Davis,
California. 197 p.

Whittaker, R. 1960. *Vegetation of the Siskiyou mountains, Oregon and
California*. Ecological Monographs 30:279-338.

Whittaker, R. 1961. *Vegetation history of the Pacific coast states and
the central significance of the Klamath region*. Madrono 16:5-23.

# Prepared By

## *Dieter Wilken & Julie Burgher*

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, California

# Species Coordinator

## *Dieter Wilken*

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, California. Email:
dwilken@sbbg.org

Edited 04dec00 jsp;03feb03ahv; 7Mar05 rln; 31may06jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

*The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in
all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual
orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases
apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille,
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA\'s [TARGET
Center](http://www.usda.gov/oo/target.htm) at 202-720-2600 (voice and
TDD).*

*To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or
TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.*

*Read about [Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Convervation
Service](http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/civilrights/).*