• All Plants • Shrubs
Brittleleaf Manzanita
Arctostaphylos crustacea ssp. crustacea
Heath Family (Ericaceae)
Native
Key Identifying Characteristics
Evergreen shrub with dark reddish bark and a burl at the base.
Leaves have stems and are hairy but not sticky.
Similar To
Montara Manzanita (Arctostaphylos montaraensis)
Height / Size
Leaves
Alternating leaves.
Leaf with stem (petiolate).
The stem can be hairy (glandular).
The leaf is hairy (nonglandular).
Oval to lance-shaped and sometimes toothed.
Top side of leaf is usually darker and smoother than the underside of the leaf.
The underside of the leaf is usually more dull.
Flower
Flowers are white to pink and may be hairy.
Tiny flowers in big bunches that hang down.
Ovary glabrous to short-hairy, generally nonglandular.
Bloom Time: January – April
Fruit / Seed
Fruits look like little apples from green to bright red. Hairless surface (glabrous) to fuzzy.
Habitat
Chaparral, conifer forest
Location / Range
Brooks Creek Trail, Hazelnut Trail, Montara Mountain Trail, and Old Trout Farm Loop Trail.
Lifespan
Fascinating / Fun Facts
Manzanita in Spanish means “little apple” which comes from the plants small apple like fruits.
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Nature Talk(s)
