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greenleaf manzanita
Scientific Name: Arctostaphylos patula
Family: Ericaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Shrub
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Greenleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula)
The Greenleaf Manzanita, scientifically known as Arctostaphylos patula, is a captivating evergreen shrub native to western North America. It's a member of the Ericaceae (Heath) family and is recognized for its adaptability to higher elevations and areas with heavy snowfall.
Considerations for Pets
- Greenleaf Manzanita is a shrub with branches that may become stout and crooked as they mature.
Considerations for Children
- Greenleaf Manzanita is a shrub with branches that may become stout and crooked as they mature.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Arctostaphylos patula E. Greene
- Common Names: Greenleaf Manzanita, Green leaf Manzanita, Snowbrush Manzanita
- Family: Ericaceae (Heath)
- USDA Plants Database Symbol: ARPA6
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to western North America.
- Common in areas of heavy snow at higher elevations, particularly in the eastern Sierras.
- Found in the Sierras and Klamath regions.
- Known from a few locations in Montana.
- Observed on the north rim of the Grand Canyon and near Whychus Creek.
- Found near the tree break in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
- Grows in the coniferous forests of Mount Shasta.
Morphological Characteristics
- Evergreen shrub, typically reaching up to 2 meters (6 feet) in height and width, though often smaller (around 1 meter) in areas like Bryce Canyon.
- Spreading, much-branched growth habit.
- Stout, crooked branches that reach up to 7 feet at maturity.
- Smooth, bright, reddish-brown bark that is glossy. The inner bark is revealed as the outer bark ages.
- Leaves are 1 to 2 inches long, ovate to elliptical, leathery, with entire margins. Their color is sometimes noted as reddish-brown and shiny.
- Flowers are white, aging to pink, and urn-shaped, blooming from February to July.
Ecological Role
- Fruits are utilized by bears, deer, small mammals, and a variety of birds.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- Subject to defoliation by the Great Basin tent caterpillar.
- Interacts with seedling ponderosa pine in substitutive experiments.
- Associated with specific insects and arthropods in montane chaparral communities.
Quirky Facts
- Forms circular clones that are 1 to 2 meters tall.
- Observed blooming at elevations as high as 9000 feet along the Swift Creek trail.