Description

Hooker’s manzanita grows in scattered coastal locations from San Francisco to San Luis Obispo County. Due to habitat loss it is no longer found naturally in San Francisco. It is most abundant in Monterey County. A great place to see it is Manzanita Park in Prunedale where it grows with Arctostaphylos crustacea and Arctostaphylos pajaroensis. If you do visit this location you will notice that Hooker’s manzanita is quite variable in form. The ‘Monterey Carpet’ selection is the most low-growing of the commonly available selections. It slowly spreads in all directions at a height of no more than six inches. “Slowly” means three to four inches of new growth each year. The pointed, oval-shaped leaves are a typical olive green and cover the plant densely. The bark will really never be seen, but it is burnt red in color. I have grown this manzanita without summer water in a Santa Clara County garden for many years. It has thrived with about seven hours of sun at the peak of the summer. More sun than this might be excessive in inland locations. Morning sun and afternoon shade should suit it in most parts of the state. In the botanical gardens of Southern California one finds the species growing in bright or dappled shade.