Hardy Manzanita for Truckee-Tahoe Gardens

HARDY ARCTOSTAPHYLOS FOR MOUNTAIN GARDENS
Evergreen bearberries & manzanitas
Easy to grow with year-round evergreen foliage, urn-shaped spring flowers, red fruit, and beautiful bark.

COMMON BEARBERRY / KINNIKINNICK
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Height 4–6″ (often to 12″) • Spread 3–6′ • Zone 2–7 • Full sun to part shade
A creeping, mat-forming broadleaf evergreen with glossy leaves, white-to-pink urn-shaped spring flowers and red fall fruit. Excellent on rocky, sandy, well-drained slopes; drought tolerant once established and dislikes compacted or wet soil. Native all around the northern hemisphere and found on most fire-resistive plant lists.

MOCK BEARBERRY MANZANITA
Arctostaphylos × coloradensis
Height 6–8″ • Spread 4–6′ • Zone 4B–8 • Full sun to part sun
Dense, prostrate naturally occurring hybrid with bright green oval leaves and smooth cinnamon-red to purplish bark. Pink spring flowers are followed by dry red berries. Pollinator-friendly, deer resistant and drought tolerant once established; well-drained soil. Reported to be found near Grand Mesa, CO.

CASCADE MANZANITA
Arctostaphylos × coloradensis ‘Cascade’
Height 1–2′ • Spread 3–4′ • Zone 5 • Full sun to part shade
A pronounced cascading habit, slightly taller with larger foliage than Mock Bearberry, with smooth cinnamon-red to purplish exfoliating bark and bright green oval leaves. Selected by Alan Taylor; pink flowers appear April–May, followed by red berries September–October. We have a beautiful one on our Villager Nursery rock wall.

PANCHITO™ MANZANITA
Arctostaphylos × coloradensis ‘Panchito’
Height 1–2′ • Spread 3–5′ • Zone 5 • Full sun to part shade
An Uncompahgre Plateau selection with bright green leaves that hold their color longer into winter. Spreading habit with cinnamon-red to purplish exfoliating bark; white flowers tinged pink appear April–May, followed by dry red berries September–October. Avoid heavy soils. Plant Select 2006.

CHIEFTAIN MANZANITA
Arctostaphylos × coloradensis ‘Chieftain’
Height 2–3′ • Spread 8–10′ • Zone 5 • Full sun to part shade
A much larger Uncompahgre Plateau selection with bright green leaves and smooth cinnamon-red to purplish exfoliating bark. White flowers tinged pink appear April–May, followed by red berries September–October. Can struggle in heavy alkaline soils; the original plant is believed to be from the Redlands side of Grand Junction, CO.

Hardy Manzanita for Truckee-Tahoe Gardens