Description

This silvery manzanita occurs on slopes and ridges in coastal mountains from southwestern Oregon to the Loma Prieta region of Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties. One finds it in chaparral and forest openings, where its nearly white foliage makes it conspicuous. It grows as a dense, rounded shrub with winter flowers of white or light pink. Rarely grown, this manzanita is something of an experiment in the garden. To prepare a growing site, one might amend the soil heavily (deep and wide) with decomposed granite, volcanic gravel and sand to provide excellent drainage and a gritty soil texture. Moderate sun might also be helpful - perhaps six hours of early sun in the summer. This distinct manzanita is certainly worth the effort.