Description

When the land which San Francisco now occupies was rolling grasslands, the franciscan manzanita grew in serpentine outcropping throughout the region. As the city expanded, the plant continued to survive in a few locations, mainly at the Laurel Hill Cemetery in the heart of the city. Once this land was developed the franciscan manzanita became extinct in the wild. Fortunately, several propagation efforts allowed it to survive in botanical gardens and the nursery trade. A few of these may be viewed at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden in the Berkeley hills. Several forms may also be discovered at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. There appear to be two predominant growth forms available in the nursery trade. One is a rolling ground cover, the other is a low mounding shrub. The latter form is often sold in southern California where it is popular for its somewhat surprising tolerance of heat and sun. In Santa Clara County I have found the franciscan manzanita to be the most sun tolerant of the low growing manzanita species and selections. It has thrived with an occasional light spray of water for several years in full sun.
The form I am offering here is the low mounding variety.