Pointleaf Manzanita

(Arctostaphylos pungens)

Pointleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos pungens)

Andrey Zharkikh

CC BY 2.0

Image By: Andrey Zharkikh

Recorded By:

Estimated Native Range

Summary

Arctostaphylos pungens, commonly known as Pointleaf Manzanita, is an erect evergreen shrub native to chaparral and forested slopes in the Southwestern USA, California, and Mexico. It typically grows to heights between one and three meters, with a spreading form that can provide ground cover in natural settings. The bark is smooth and red, providing year-round interest, while the smaller twigs and new leaves are lightly woolly. Mature leaves are leathery, shiny, and green, oval to widely lance-shaped, and up to 4 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a spherical cluster of urn-shaped manzanita flowers, which are white to pink and bloom in late winter to early spring. The fruit is a drupe 5 to 8 millimeters wide, which ripens to a reddish-brown and is a food source for wildlife. Pointleaf Manzanita is appreciated for its ornamental bark, drought tolerance, and its ability to attract pollinators with its flowers.

In cultivation, Pointleaf Manzanita is valued for its low water requirements, making it suitable for xeriscaping and native plant gardens. It thrives in dry, shallow, acidic soils heavy with gravel and sand, and requires full sun to part shade. While it is generally low-maintenance, it can be susceptible to fungal diseases in poorly drained soils. It is also used for erosion control on slopes and is sometimes harvested for its fruit, which can be made into jam. Gardeners should be aware that it can be difficult to transplant due to its sensitivity to root disturbance.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

Plant Type: Shrub
Height: 3-6 feet
Width: 3-6 feet
Growth Rate: Slow
Flower Color: Pink, White
Flowering Season: Spring, Winter
Leaf Retention: Evergreen

Growth Requirements

Sun: Full Sun
Water: Very Low, Low
Drainage: Fast, Medium

Common Uses

Bank Stabilization, Bee Garden, Bird Garden, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Edible*Disclaimer: Easyscape's listed plant edibility is for informational use. Always verify the safety and proper identification of any plant before consumption., Erosion Control, Groundcover, Hummingbird Garden, Low Maintenance, Rock Garden, Showy Flowers, Street Planting

Natural Habitat

Native to chaparral and forested slopes

Other Names

Common Names: Bigberry Manzanita , Mexican Manzanita , Point-Leaf Manzanita

Scientific Names: Arctostaphylos pungens , Arctostaphylos pungens var. mexicana , Arctostaphylos pungens var. pungens , Arctostaphylos pseudopungens , Arctostaphylos pungens f. glaucifolia , Arbutus ferruginea , Arbutus myrtifolia , Arbutus rigida , Arbutus tomentosa var. nuda , Arctostaphylos chaloneorum

GBIF Accepted Name: Arctostaphylos pungens Kunth