PLANT of the MONTH   ~~   JANUARY, 2008
updated on or about the 1st of each month

MANZANITA Common Name(s): Manzanita, Little Apple; species Eastwood Manzanita and Bigberry Manzanita Scientific Name: Arctostaphylos glandulosa, Arctostaphylos glauca Family: Ericaceae, Heath family Plant Type: Perennial evergreen shrub to small tree Size: Eastwood up to 8 feet high; Bigberry up to 20 feet high Common Habitat: chaparral, rocky slopes and ridges, not too near the coast

The two species of Manzanita featured this month can often be found growing near each other. A distinguishing feature common to both Manzanitas is their smooth, crooked, burgundy-colored branches. The white, urn-shaped flowers that appear in winter and spring are also a giveaway. In summer, the small flowers are followed by reddish-brown, sticky berries which coyotes and other animals feast on (Arctostaphylos translates to "bear-grape"). Blooming time normally ranges from December to April. Leaves are dull green or dark green, rigid, 1-2 inches long, and oval and pointed.

The artistic, crooked nature of Manzanita's branches is caused by its flowering; after bloom, branches find a new growth path above the flowers, rather than continuing in the same direction. Bark peels off in shavings once a year, signaling the transition between blooming and dormancy. Manzanita means "little apple" in Spanish, and its berries have been used by humans for food and drink. Its leaves had various medicinal uses, alleviating the pain and discomfort of headaches, sores and even poison oak.

There are other species of Manzanita, but these two are what you'll encounter in our mountains. There are various clues to tell them apart. The flowers and berries on Bigberry Manzanita are a little larger and flowers may be pinker in color than Eastwood Manzanita. Bigberry also is more tree-like and can grow taller than Eastwood. Eastwood Manzanita has hairs covering terminal parts of its branches and its leaves. The two react differently after fire - Eastwood resprouts from its base, while Bigberry relies on its seed.

Manzanita varieties would be attractive plants to have in your garden. If you are so inclined, you may wish to consult the book California Native Plants for the Garden (see the "References" section below), which devotes 8 pages to the subject. Manzanitas prefer acidic, well-draining soil and a well ventilated location.

The photos on the bottom of this page were taken in Point Mugu State Park, on the unmaintained trail that ascends past the Cabin Site to the top of Boney Mountain, on March 11, 2006 - a very cold, wet day where snow levels actually dropped below 3000 feet... there was indeed snow at the top! The photo above was taken the year before, in a location I do not recall.

Contributed by Liz Baumann

ARCHIVES of past Plants of the Month:
December 2007: Fire's Impact on Plants of the Santa Monicas - Volume 1
November 2007: California Aster (Lessingia filaginifolia, Corethrogyne filaginifolia)
October 2007: Turkey Mullein (Eremocarpus setigerus)
September 2007: Wild Heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum)
August 2007: California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)
July 2007: Calabazilla (Cucurbita foetidissima)
June 2007: Speckled Clarkia (Clarkia cylindrica)
May 2007: Prickly Poppy (Argemone munita)
April 2007: Wild Cucumber (Marah macrocarpus)
March 2007: Large-Flowered Phacelia (Phacelia grandiflora)
February 2007: Chaparral Currant (Ribes malvaceum)
January 2007: Tree Tobacco (Nicotiana glauca)
December 2006: Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum)
November 2006: Sycamore (Platanus racemosa)
October 2006: Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium)
September 2006: Vinegar Weed (Trichostema Lanceolatum)
August 2006: Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia)
July 2006: Woolly Blue Curls (Trichostema lanatum)
June 2006: Yucca (Yucca whipplei)
May 2006: Monkey Flower (Mimulus Species)
April 2006: Lupine (Lupinus Species)
March 2006: Ceanothus (Ceanothus Species)
February 2006: Wild Peony (Paeonia californica)
January 2006: Purple Nightshade (Solanum xanti)
December 2005: Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)

REFERENCES:
Wildflowers of the Santa Monica Mountains, by Milt McAuley - link to Amazon.com
Flowering Plants: The Santa Monica Mountains, Coastal and Chaparral Regions of Southern California, by Nancy Dale - link to Amazon.com
Roadside Plants of Southern California, by Thomas J. Belzer - link to Amazon.com
California Native Plants for the Garden, by Carol Bornstein, David Fross, and Bart O'Brien - link to Amazon.com
California Herbal Remedies, by LoLo Westrich - link to Amazon.com