Arctostaphylos ‘Howard McMinn’

Manzanita ‘Howard McMinn’

Winter is the natural blooming season for manzanitas. Their flowers can range from almost pure white (as with the 'Howard McMinn' selection pictured here) through rosy pink. Their nectar attracts insects for birds to eat; once pollinated, they form red fruit that another group of birds enjoy in the fall. Their stiff green leaves and peeling red bark can be enjoyed by humans year-round.

Manzanitas generally prefer lots of sun and generally little water. Slow-growing, they can form sprawling shrubs or modest trees, depending on their parentage. Howard is a selection of Arctostaphylos densiflora, and will eventually hit 10 feet tall and at least as broad; its lower branches may root as they strike the ground. In the ground just over 2 years, ours is roughly 2' tall x 3' wide, with one low rogue branch that extends another foot or two away from the parent. Arctostaphylos densiflora is happy in heavy soil with watering every 2-3 weeks during summer. The selection 'Howard McMinn' is known to be long-lived and dependable.