''Arctostaphylos'' (; from "bear" and "bunch of grapes") is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

plants Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclude ...

comprising the manzanitas () and bearberries. They are

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from tree ...

s or small

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

s. There are about 60 species, of ''Arctostaphylos'', ranging from ground-hugging arctic, coastal, and mountain species to small trees up to 6 m tall. Most are

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...

(one species

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, ...

), with small oval

leaves A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...

1–7 cm long, arranged spirally on the stems. The

flowers A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

are bell-shaped, white or pale pink, and borne in small clusters of 2–20 together; flowering is in the spring. The

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in partic ...

are small berries, ripening in the summer or autumn. The berries of some species are edible. ''Arctostaphylos'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...

e of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order of insects that includes butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 families and 46 superfamilies, 10 percent of the total described speci ...

species including '' Coleophora arctostaphyli'' (which feeds exclusively on ''A. uva-ursi'') and '' Coleophora glaucella''.

Distribution

Manzanitas, the bulk of ''Arctostaphylos'' species, are present in the

chaparral Chaparral ( ) is a shrubland plant community and geographical feature found primarily in the U.S. state of California, in southern Oregon, and in the northern portion of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. It is shaped by a Mediterranea ...

biome of western

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

, where they occur from southern

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

and

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, and throughout much of northern and central

Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...

. Three species, the bearberries, '' A. alpina'' (alpine bearberry), '' A. rubra'' (red bearberry) and '' A. uva-ursi'' (common bearberry), have adapted to

arctic The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...

and

subarctic The subarctic zone is a region in the Northern Hemisphere immediately south of the true Arctic, north of humid continental regions and covering much of Alaska, Canada, Iceland, the north of Scandinavia, Siberia, and the Cairngorms. Genera ...

climates, and have a circumpolar distribution in northern

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

and

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

. An unusual association of manzanita occurs on

Hood Mountain Mount Hood, also known as Hood Mountain is a mountain near the southeastern edge of Santa Rosa, California at the northeast of the Sonoma Valley and attains a height of . The original name was Mount Wilikos, an Indian name meaning "willows." ...

, in

Sonoma County, California Sonoma County () is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, its population was 488,863. Its county seat and largest city is Santa Rosa. It is to the north of Marin County and the south of Mendoci ...

, where stands of

pygmy forest In anthropology, pygmy peoples are ethnic groups whose average height is unusually short. The term pygmyism is used to describe the phenotype of endemic short stature (as opposed to disproportionate dwarfism occurring in isolated cases in a ...

dominated by

Mendocino cypress ''Cupressus pigmaea'', the Mendocino cypress or pygmy cypress, is a taxon of disputed status in the genus ''Cupressus'' endemic to certain coastal terraces and coastal mountain ranges of Mendocino and Sonoma Counties in northwestern California. ...

are found.

Fossil record

One

fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...

of †''Arctostaphylos globula'' and several fossil fruits of †''Arctostaphylos menzelii'' have been described from

middle Miocene The Middle Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages: the Langhian and Serravallian stages. The Middle Miocene is preceded by the Early Miocene. The sub-epoch lasted from 15.97 ± 0.05 Ma to 11.608 ± 0.005 Ma (million y ...

strata In geology and related fields, a stratum ( : strata) is a layer of rock or sediment characterized by certain lithologic properties or attributes that distinguish it from adjacent layers from which it is separated by visible surfaces known as ei ...

of the Fasterholt area near

Silkeborg Silkeborg () is a Danish town with a population of 49,747 (1 January 2022).Jutland Jutland ( da, Jylland ; german: Jütland ; ang, Ēota land ), known anciently as the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula ( la, Cimbricus Chersonesus; da, den Kimbriske Halvø, links=no or ; german: Kimbrische Halbinsel, links=no), is a peninsula of ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

Cultivation

Cultivation is generally difficult due to

fungal A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from th ...

diseases, and often salinity and alkalinity. Overhead watering should be avoided in hot weather. Some

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...

s are easier to grow.

Taxonomy

The following species are recognised in the genus ''Arctostaphylos'': *''

Arctostaphylos acutifolia ''Arctostaphylos'' (; from "bear" and "bunch of grapes") is a genus of plants comprising the manzanitas () and bearberries. They are shrubs or small trees. There are about 60 species, of ''Arctostaphylos'', ranging from ground-hugging arc ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos andersonii'' *''

Arctostaphylos auriculata ''Arctostaphylos auriculata'' (Mount Diablo manzanita) is an endangered species of ''Arctostaphylos'' endemic to California, and limited in geography to the area surrounding Mount Diablo, in Contra Costa County. Description ''Arctostaphylos auri ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos australis ''Arctostaphylos'' (; from "bear" and "bunch of grapes") is a genus of plants comprising the manzanitas () and bearberries. They are shrubs or small trees. There are about 60 species, of ''Arctostaphylos'', ranging from ground-hugging arc ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos bakeri'' *'' Arctostaphylos bolensis'' *''

Arctostaphylos canescens ''Arctostaphylos canescens'', common name hoary manzanita, is a species of manzanita. Distribution ''Arctostaphylos canescens'' is native to the coastal mountain ranges of southwestern Oregon and northern California, where it grows in forest and ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos catalinae'' *'' Arctostaphylos caucasica'' *''

Arctostaphylos columbiana ''Arctostaphylos columbiana'' is a species of manzanita known by the common name hairy manzanita. It is native to the coast of western North America from northern California to southwestern British Columbia. This large manzanita is a shrub or sm ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos confertiflora ''Arctostaphylos confertiflora'' is a rare species of manzanita known by the common name Santa Rosa Island manzanita. This shrub is endemic to California, where it grows on the sandstone bluffs of Santa Rosa Island in the Channel Islands. This ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos cratericola ''Arctostaphylos'' (; from "bear" and "bunch of grapes") is a genus of plants comprising the manzanitas () and bearberries. They are shrubs or small trees. There are about 60 species, of ''Arctostaphylos'', ranging from ground-hugging arc ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos crustacea'' *'' Arctostaphylos cruzensis'' *'' Arctostaphylos densiflora'' *''

Arctostaphylos edmundsii ''Arctostaphylos edmundsii'', with the common name Little Sur manzanita, is a species of manzanita. This shrub is endemic to California where it grows on the coastal bluffs of Monterey County. Description This is a petite, low-lying manzanita whi ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos franciscana ''Arctostaphylos franciscana'', known by the common name Franciscan manzanita, is a species of manzanita. It was named by Alice Eastwood and is native to the city of San Francisco. Taxonomy Franciscan manzanita was formerly considered as a subsp ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos gabilanensis ''Arctostaphylos gabilanensis'' is a rare species of manzanita known by the common name Gabilan manzanita. Distribution It is endemic to California, where it is known only from two disjunct populations in the Gabilan Range on the border between ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos glandulosa ''Arctostaphylos glandulosa'', with the common name Eastwood's manzanita, is a species of manzanita. Distribution This shrub is native to the coastal slopes of western North America from Oregon through California to Baja California. Descriptio ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos glauca ''Arctostaphylos glauca'' is a species of manzanita known by the common name bigberry manzanita. It is native to California and Baja California, where it grows in the chaparral and woodland of coastal and inland hills. Description ''Arctostaphy ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos glutinosa'' *'' Arctostaphylos × helleri'' *'' Arctostaphylos hispidula'' *''

Arctostaphylos hookeri ''Arctostaphylos hookeri'' is a species of manzanita known by the common name Hooker's manzanita. Description ''Arctostaphylos hookeri'' is a low shrub which is variable in appearance and has several subspecies. These are generally mat-forming p ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos hooveri'' *''

Arctostaphylos imbricata ''Arctostaphylos imbricata'' is a species of manzanita known by the common name San Bruno Mountain manzanita. It is endemic to San Mateo County, California, where it is known only from six populations on San Bruno Mountain. Despite its rarity, t ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos incognita ''Arctostaphylos'' (; from "bear" and "bunch of grapes") is a genus of plants comprising the manzanitas () and bearberries. They are shrubs or small trees. There are about 60 species, of ''Arctostaphylos'', ranging from ground-hugging arc ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos insularis ''Arctostaphylos insularis'' is a species of manzanita known by the common name island manzanita. It is endemic to Santa Cruz Island, one of the Channel Islands of California. Description ''Arctostaphylos insularis'' is a large, spreading shrub ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos × jepsonii ''Arctostaphylos'' (; from "bear" and "bunch of grapes") is a genus of plants comprising the manzanitas () and bearberries. They are shrubs or small trees. There are about 60 species, of ''Arctostaphylos'', ranging from ground-hugging arct ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos klamathensis ''Arctostaphylos klamathensis'', with the common name Klamath manzanita, is a species of manzanita. It is endemic to the Klamath Mountains of far northern California, where it was first described during an ecological survey in Cedar Basin near the ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos × laxiflora ''Arctostaphylos'' (; from "bear" and "bunch of grapes") is a genus of plants comprising the manzanitas () and bearberries. They are shrubs or small trees. There are about 60 species, of ''Arctostaphylos'', ranging from ground-hugging arct ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos luciana ''Arctostaphylos luciana'' is a species of manzanita known by the common name Santa Lucia manzanita, is endemic to California."Field Guide to Manzanitas," Michael Kauffmann, Tom Parker, & Michael Vasey, Backcountry Press, 2015, , page 77. Distri ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos malloryi'' *''

Arctostaphylos manzanita One of many species of manzanita, ''Arctostaphylos manzanita'' has the common names common manzanita and whiteleaf manzanita. ''Arctostaphylos manzanita'' is endemic to California, where it can be found in the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada foo ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos × media'' *'' Arctostaphylos mewukka'' *'' Arctostaphylos montana'' *''

Arctostaphylos montaraensis ''Arctostaphylos montaraensis'', known by the common name Montara manzanita, is a species of manzanita in the family Ericaceae. Distribution This perennial evergreen shrub is endemic to California, native only to a few occurrences in northern ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos montereyensis ''Arctostaphylos montereyensis'' is a species of manzanita known by the common names Monterey manzanita and Toro manzanita. It is endemic to Monterey County, California, where it is known from only a few occurrences around Fort Ord and Toro Count ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos moranii'' *'' Arctostaphylos morroensis'' *''

Arctostaphylos myrtifolia ''Arctostaphylos myrtifolia'' is a rare species of manzanita known by the common name Ione manzanita. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada foothills of California. It grows in the chaparral and woodland plant community on a distinctive acidic soil ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos nevadensis'' *'' Arctostaphylos nissenana'' *'' Arctostaphylos nortensis'' *'' Arctostaphylos nummularia'' *'' Arctostaphylos obispoensis'' *'' Arctostaphylos ohloneana'' *'' Arctostaphylos osoensis'' *'' Arctostaphylos otayensis'' *''

Arctostaphylos pacifica ''Arctostaphylos'' (; from "bear" and "bunch of grapes") is a genus of plants comprising the manzanitas () and bearberries. They are shrubs or small trees. There are about 60 species, of ''Arctostaphylos'', ranging from ground-hugging arc ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos pajaroensis'' *''

Arctostaphylos pallida ''Arctostaphylos pallida'', commonly known as pallid manzanita, Oakland Hills manzanita, and Alameda manzanita, is an upright manzanita shrub from the Ericaceae, or heath family. It is endemic to the eastern San Francisco Bay Area of Northern Ca ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos parryana'' *'' Arctostaphylos × parvifolia'' *'' Arctostaphylos patula'' *''

Arctostaphylos pechoensis ''Arctostaphylos pechoensis'' is a species of manzanita known by the common name Pecho manzanita. It is endemic to California, where it is known only from the Pecho Hills southwest of San Luis Obispo in San Luis Obispo County, California. It is ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos peninsularis'' *''

Arctostaphylos pilosula ''Arctostaphylos pilosula'' is a species of manzanita, known by the common names La Panza manzanita and Santa Margarita manzanita, that is endemic to California."Field Guide to Manzanitas," Michael Kauffmann, Tom Parker, & Michael Vasey, Backcoun ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos pringlei'' *''

Arctostaphylos pumila ''Arctostaphylos pumila'', with the common name sandmat manzanita, is a species of manzanita. Description ''Arctostaphylos pumila'' is a petite, low-lying manzanita which forms flat bushes and patchy, creeping mats in sandy soil. The bark is red ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos pungens ''Arctostaphylos pungens'', with the common name pointleaf manzanita, is a species of manzanita. It is native to the Southwestern United States and to northern and central Mexico, where it grows in chaparral and woodland habitats, and on desert ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos purissima'' *'' Arctostaphylos rainbowensis'' *''

Arctostaphylos refugioensis ''Arctostaphylos refugioensis'' is a species of manzanita, known by the common name Refugio manzanita. It is endemic to Santa Barbara County, California, where it can be found along the immediate coastline, including the vicinity of Refugio Stat ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos regismontana'' *''

Arctostaphylos × repens ''Arctostaphylos'' (; from "bear" and "bunch of grapes") is a genus of plants comprising the manzanitas () and bearberries. They are shrubs or small trees. There are about 60 species, of ''Arctostaphylos'', ranging from ground-hugging arc ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos rudis ''Arctostaphylos rudis'', with the common names Shagbark manzanita and Sand mesa manzanita, is a species of manzanita. Description This is an erect shrub growing from a burl to heights between one and two meters - 3 and 6 feet. Its stem and br ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos sensitiva ''Arctostaphylos nummularia'' is a species of manzanita known by the common names glossyleaf manzanita, dwarf manzanita and Fort Bragg manzanita. It is endemic to California, where it grows in the forests of the coastal and inland ranges north of ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos silvicola ''Arctostaphylos silvicola'' is a species of manzanita known by the common names Bonny Doon or silverleaf manzanita. It is endemic to the sandhills of the southern Santa Cruz Mountains in California's Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties. Desc ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos stanfordiana'' *''

Arctostaphylos × strigosa ''Arctostaphylos'' (; from "bear" and "bunch of grapes") is a genus of plants comprising the manzanitas () and bearberries. They are shrubs or small trees. There are about 60 species, of ''Arctostaphylos'', ranging from ground-hugging arc ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos tomentosa ''Arctostaphylos tomentosa'' is a species of manzanita known by the common name woollyleaf manzanita or woolley manzanita. This shrub is endemic to California. It is a resident of chaparral canyons, foothills, and lower-elevation mountains. On ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ''Arctostaphylos uva-ursi'' is a plant species of the genus ''Arctostaphylos'' widely distributed across circumboreal regions of the subarctic Northern Hemisphere. Kinnikinnick ( First Nations for "smoking mixture") is a common name in Canada ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos virgata ''Arctostaphylos virgata'' is a species of manzanita known by the common names Bolinas manzanita and Marin manzanita. Distribution It is endemic to Marin County, California, where it is known from only about 20 occurrences in the forests and c ...

'' *'' Arctostaphylos viridissima'' *''

Arctostaphylos viscida ''Arctostaphylos viscida'', with the common names whiteleaf manzanita and sticky manzanita, is a species of manzanita. Distribution ''Arctostaphylos viscida'' is a plant of chaparral and coniferous forests of some elevation. It is native to Ca ...

'' *''

Arctostaphylos wellsii ''Arctostaphylos wellsii'' (common name Well's manzanita or Pismo manzanita) is a plant that grows at elevations between 90 and 1200 ft in San Luis Obispo county in California. The plant is an evergreen shrub native to chaparral Chaparral ...

'' See also the closely related genus ''

Comarostaphylis ''Comarostaphylis'' is a genus of shrubs in the heath family native to the Americas from California in the United States to Panama. These are hairy, glandular shrubs to small trees with shreddy bark, often quite similar to their close relatives, ...

'', previously often included in ''Arctostaphylos''.

Distribution

Fossil record

Cultivation

Taxonomy

References

Further reading