PlantFiles: Vine Hill Manzanita
Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Howard McMinn'

Manzanitas are oddly left out of most California native gardens, perhaps due to their reputation of being prissy with root disturbance, slow growth, and lack of tolerance for garden conditions. However they are probably the most interesting in terms of color, form, flowers, and toughness when established. They consistently look neat, tidy, and fresh even in the middle of Summer.

This is probably THE manzanita planted in commercial plantings, but that shouldn't stop you from trying it. It's said to be relatively quick growing for a manzanita, and it is absolutely floriferous in Spring. It's also the most forgiving of Manzanitas in garden settings, so if one wants to grow any of the manzanitas, this should be the one to start out with.

Beautiful, smooth, unmistakable bark which peals to reveal it's smooth texture many times over a year or season. Howard McMinn is the most common of the Manzanitas and is easy to find at nurseries (not big name stores like Wal-Mart or K-Mart, but ones such as Navlets, Yardbirds or possibly Home Depot). Most manzanitas are native to California and have origin's from the Mediterranean. They are in the same family as the arbutus, which also has natives in California. They are easily related by the smoothness of their bark and it's distinctive pealing. A plant that is ignored in many Californian yards, as it's one of the lovliest to have around and show off.

Nice looking Manzanita and probably the easiest to adapt to a garden setting... a bit more water tolerant than most (Manzanitas don't like to be watered much). Upright shrub- good for borders between neighbors. Flowers attractive to all sorts of nectar-loving animals. Nice red hard wood.