Arctostaphylos pajaroensis, commonly known as Pajaro Manzanita, is an evergreen shrub native to the sandy soils of maritime chaparral, mixed evergreen forests, and coastal scrub in Monterey County, Central California. It is an erect shrub that typically grows to 1 meter (3.3 ft) tall but can exceed 4 meters (13 ft) in height. Pajaro Manzanita is characterized by its shreddy red or grayish bark and smaller twigs covered with woolly hairs and long white bristles. The dense foliage consists of gray-green, reddish-tinted leaves that are oval to somewhat triangular, measuring 2 to 4 centimeters in length, with smooth, toothed, or rolled edges. This shrub is notable for its winter flowering season, producing large loose inflorescences of pink to nearly white urn-shaped flowers that are particularly attractive to native pollinators.

Pajaro Manzanita is valued for its ornamental qualities, including its attractive bark, foliage, and flowers. It is well-suited for use in native plant gardens, as a specimen plant, or for erosion control on slopes due to its deep rooting habit. In cultivation, it thrives in full sun, requiring very low to low water once established, and prefers well-drained soils. While it is drought-tolerant, it does not tolerate overwatering or poorly drained soils. Gardeners should be aware that this species can be susceptible to fungal diseases if conditions are too wet. It is also important to avoid disturbing the roots once planted.CC BY-SA 4.0