Arctostaphylos insularis, commonly known as Island Manzanita, is an evergreen shrub native to the chaparral and coastal sage scrub habitats on Santa Cruz Island, part of California’s Channel Islands. This species is adapted to dry, rocky conditions and is often found on slopes and ridges. It is a large, spreading shrub that can reach over 2 meters (6 ft 7 in) tall and is known to exceed 5 meters (16 ft 5 in) in width. The plant is characterized by its waxy, reddish bark and smaller twigs that sometimes have bristly glandular hairs. The leaves are shiny green, smooth, generally oval in shape, slightly convex, and up to about 4.5 centimeters (1+3⁄4 in) long. Island Manzanita blooms with many dense clustered inflorescences of urn-shaped flowers, which are typically white to pink and appear from winter to early spring. The fruit is an orange-brown drupe up to 1.5 centimeters (5⁄8 in) wide, which can attract birds and other wildlife.

Island Manzanita is valued for its striking appearance, with its attractive bark and foliage, and its ability to thrive with minimal care, making it suitable for xeriscaping and native plant gardens. It is used in cultivation for habitat restoration, erosion control, and as an ornamental in water-wise landscaping. This shrub prefers full sun to part shade and is highly drought-tolerant, requiring very low amounts of water once established. It adapts to a range of soil types, provided they have good drainage. While generally disease-resistant, it can be susceptible to fungal diseases if conditions are too wet. Gardeners should be aware that this species can be difficult to transplant due to its sensitive root system.CC BY-SA 4.0