Arctostaphylos patula is a species in the Ericaceae (Heath) family known by the common name Greenleaf Manzanita. This is a shrub of the Sierras and Klamath mountains, living at higher elevations and tolerating very cold winters. It reaches between one and two meters in height. Like other Manzanitas its lower branches extend more outward than upward and may root in the soil where they touch. The stems are twisting and reddish-brown in color, and shiny due to hairy secretion. The leaves are oval-shaped to nearly round, and flat, shiny, and smooth. They are 6 centimeters long and four wide at maximum. The plentiful flowers are white to pink and urn-shaped, each with five small lobes at the mouth of the corolla, hanging in bunches. The fruits are dark brown drupes nearly a centimeter wide, each containing about five hard-coated seeds. Seeds require fire followed by cold conditions to germinate; seeds can remain dormant in soil for hundreds of years. In a few areas Greenleaf Manzanitas produce lignotubers from which they can reproduce vegetatively. In the garden this plant seems to tolerate many conditions. However, it is not tolerant of alkaline soil.