Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Otay Manzanita (Arctostaphylos otayensis) is a beautiful rare native shrub that grows in San Diego county in the the Otay Mountains of San Diego County, possibly extending into northern Baja. It is rare in the northern part of the Peninsular Range. Leaves are striking - light pink when new, and gray- green when mature. Flowers are white and bloom early and long. It tends to grow in stony slopes and volcanic rock outcrops, at elevations from 1000-4000 feet.

Plant type

Shrub

Size

3 - 8 ft Tall
10 ft Wide

Form

Mounding, Rounded

Growth rate

Moderate

Dormancy

Evergreen

Fragrance

None

Calscape icon
Color

Pink, White

Flowering season

Winter, Spring

Special uses

Hedge

Sun

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Water

Very Low

Summer irrigation

Max 2x / month once established

Ease of care

Challenging

Cold tolerance

Tolerates cold to 20° F

Soil drainage

Medium

Soil description

Tolerates a variety of soils but probably performs best in coarse, well drained soil such as decomposed granite.
Soil PH: 6.0 - 7.0

Site type

Volcanic rock outcrops, rocky slopes

Plant communities

Chaparral, Foothill Woodland

Chamise (Adenostem fasciculatum), San Diego County Viguiera (Bahiopsis laciniata), Manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.), Coastal Sagebrush (Artemisia californica), Coyote Brush (Baccharis pilularis), Ceanothus species, Common Sandaster (Corethrogyne filaginifolia), Dudleya species, California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum), Buckwheat (Eriogonum spp.), Mexican Flannelbush (Fremontodendron mexicanum), Tecate Cypress (Hesperocyparis forbesii), Lupinus species, Penstemon species, Bladderpod (Peritoma arborea), Oaks (Quercus spp.), Matilija Poppy (Romneya coulteri), White Sage (Salvia apiana), Munz's Sage (Salvia munzii), Woolly Bluecurls (Trichostema lanatum), Yucca species, cactus species.

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

1 confirmed and 25 likely

Confirmed Likely

Thorne's Hairstreak

Callophrys loki

Aethaloida packardaria

Orange Tortrix Moth

Argyrotaenia franciscana

Aseptis fumeola