Hairy Manzanita

Scientific Name: Arctostaphylos columbiana Piper

Hairy Manzanita

General Information
Usda Symbol	ARCO3
Group	Dicot
Life Cycle	Perennial
Growth Habits	ShrubTree,
Native Locations	ARCO3

Plant Guide

Uses

The fruits of hairy manzanita are utilized by bear,deer, coyote, foxes and other small mammals and awide array of birds. A tea made from the bark wasused by some native Americans to treat diarrhea. The crooked wood of central stems and lowerbranches are used in several cottage industries,including lamp stands and other decorative woodcrafts. Although somewhat difficult to grow, severalselections of hairy manzanita and hybrids withkinnikinnik are occasionally cultivated.

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your StateDepartment of Natural Resources for this plant�s current status, such as, state noxious status andwetland indicator values.

Description

General: Heath Family (Ericaceae). Hairy manzanitais an erect much-branched evergreen shrub or smalltree 1-3 m high, with a broad, rounded, dense canopy. It does not have a basal burl and consequently doesnot crown sprout after fire. The bark of young twigsis densely white-hirsute, but the mature bark issmooth and dark red-brown. Leaves have shortpetioles and oblong to broadly elliptic blades that are2.5-6 cm long, 1.5-3 cm wide, pale gray-green, andtomentose on both sides. The flowers, which openfrom March to May, are arranged in short, densepanicles with leaf-like bracts that are lanceolate, 5-15mm long, and hirsute. The urn-shaped corollas arewhite, sometimes tinged with pink, and 6-7 mm long. The fruit is strongly depressed-globose, 7-11 mm indiameter, hairy when young, but becoming smoothand reddish brown, with a mealy pulp that enclosesseveral, hard-walled seeds. Hybrids between hairy manzanita and the prostratekinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) are calledArctostaphylos x media. This hybrid and variousback-crosses, especially to kinnikinnick, have aspreading form, dense foliage, and pink flowers.

Distribution

Hairy manzanita inhabits well-drained, rocky slopesbelow 2500 feet from southern British Columbiasouth to northwestern California. For currentdistribution, please consult the Plant Profile page forthis species on the PLANTS Web site.

Establishment

Adaptation: It is a common associate in successionalcoastal shrub communities, but also occurs as anunderstory shrub in coniferous forests ranging fromthe coast to the western slopes of the Cascade Range. Its general geographic range is characterized by cool,relatively dry summers and wet winters withprecipitation ranging from 50 to 120 inches per year. Hairy manzanita prefers well-drained, acidic soils inopen sunny sites. It has a mild frost tolerance, but alow tolerance for frozen soils. Fire may be importantto successful seed germination and establishment,especially in coastal shrub communities andrelatively open forest communities. Natural Establishment: Arctostaphylos columbiana,like most manzanita species, requires insect visitation Brother Alfred Brousseau© Brother Eric Vogel, St. Mary�s College @ CalPhotos to ensure seed-set. The flowers are pollinated bybees that grasp the flower and shake it by activelybeating their wings. This process, like shaking a saltand pepper container, permits efficient collection ofthe pollen, which is used for food. Fruits aredispersed primarily by animals, which presumablyaid germination by digesting the fruit and softeningthe outer seed coat. However, natural germination issporadic except after fire, which cracks the hard coatof seeds that have accumulated in the litter layer. Hairy manzanita prefers loose, well-drained soilsand, like other members of the heath family(Ericaceae), has an obligate relationship withmycorrhizal fungi. Seed Propagation: Propagation from seed is difficult,because of the thick, bony seed walls and low rates ofgermination (less than 10%) without treatment. However, if propagation from seed is desired,treatment must ensure that the seed coat is brokenwithout damaging the embryo. Individual seeds maybe filed with a steel file, but larger quantities can betreated by placing them into a container of boilingwater that is removed from the source of heat after 1-2 minutes. Seeds also respond well to burning, whichis accomplished by firing a 4-inch deep layer ofcombustible leaves and twigs over a flat planted withseeds. These treatments crack the seed coats but mayreduce viability. Treated seeds should be stratified ina moist mix of milled sphagnum and beach sand for2-8 months until they germinate. Other techniques,including use of sulfuric acid to soften the seed coat,may enhance germination, but also requires specialprecautions against spillage and contamination. Vegetative Propagation: Vegetative propagation ispreferred over seeds. Hairy manzanita is most easilypropagated by cutting terminal shoots that include 1-2 inches of the woody stem from the previous year. Cuttings work best if taken between January andMarch and should be dipped in a rooting hormonebefore being placed in a moist sand-peat mixture. Cuttings need to be kept moist by regular watering ormisting until roots appear. Once rooted, they shouldbe transplanted into small containers using pottingsoil, to allow for proper root development. Manzanitas generally do not transplant well, so theyshould be grown to vigorous conditions in one-galloncontainers and then moved to a permanent position inthe late fall or early winter. Relatively slow growthrates during the first few years can be expected. Ifplants are used in an urban landscape, the use oforganic-rich soils and acidified fertilizers isrecommended.

Management

Under natural conditions, no special management isrequired to maintain established manzanitas, Eitherscarified seeds or well-rooted container plants may beused to re-vegetate cleared sites, In the urbanlandscape, several horticultural techniques should beused to ensure healthy plants, All manzanitas shouldbe planted higher than the surrounding soil to preventcrown rot, which can result from excessive water andsoil moisture, especially during the summer, Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Hairy Manzanita., Overhead watering should also be avoided because ittends to encourage fungal diseases (e,g,,Botryosphaeria) that cause branch die-back and leafspot, Manzanitas are also susceptible to gall-producingaphids (Tamalia), which cause young leaves to curland cease growth, Periodic watering every 4-6 weekswill keep foliage healthy without weakening plants, Mulching is desirable to control weeds, retain soilmoisture, and reduce the need for irrigation, Rockmulches have proven more successful than organicmulches, Pruning should be avoided and used onlyto remove dead wood and diseased branches, Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (andarea of origin)Please check the Vendor Database, expected to beon-line through the PLANTS Web site in 2001 byclicking on Plant Materials, This species is availablefrom native species nursery,

References

CalPhotos 2000. Arctostaphylos columbiana. Version: 000509. CalFlora, Inc., Berkeley,California. < http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/photos/>. Emery, D. 1988. Seed propagation of nativeCalifornia plants. Santa Barbara Botanic GardenPublishing, Santa Barbara, California. 115 p. Franklin, J. & C. Dyrness 1988. Natural vegetationof Oregon and Washington. Oregon State UniversityPress, Corvallis, Oregon. 452 p. Holland, K. & D. Keil 1995. California vegetation. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, Iowa. 516 p. Keaton, G. 1994. Complete garden guide to thenatural shrubs of California. Chronicle Books, SanFrancisco, California. 314 p. Kruckeberg, A. 1982. Gardening with native plantsof the Pacific Northwest. University of WashingtonPress, Seattle, Washington. 252 p. Lenz, L. & J. Dourley 1981. California native treesand shrubs. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden,Claremont, California. 231 p. Munz, P.A. & D. Keck 1959. A California flora. University of California, Berkeley, California. 1681p. Roach, A. 1952. Phytosociology of the Nash Craterlava flows, Linn County, Oregon. EcologicalMonographs 22:169-193. Smith, N. 1995. Manzanitas: A gardener�s guide. Pacific Horticulture 56(1):18-33. USDA, NRCS 2000. The PLANTS database. Version: 000509. <http://plants.usda.gov>. NationalPlant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Wiedemann, A. 1966. Contributions to the plantecology of the Oregon coastal sand dunes. Ph.D. dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis,Oregon. 255 p. Wiedemann, A. L. Dennis, & F. Smith 1969. Plantsof the Oregon coastal dunes. Oregon StateUniversity, Corvallis, Oregon. 117 p.

Plant Traits

Growth Requirements

Morphology/Physiology

Reproduction

Suitability/Use

Hairy Manzanita