Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Mexican Manzanita is a uncommon native shrub in the Ericaceae (Heath) family that grows in Southern California, primarily in the Peninsular Range region. It tends to grow as part of the chaparral community on rocky slopes, at elevations from 3900-7900 feet. It has gray green leaves with typical urn-shaped pink or white flowers. It is great for a bird garden. There is one recognized subspecies, ssp. drupacea, which is known as Pink-bracted Manzanita or Idyllwild Manzanita.

Plant type

Shrub

Size

16 ft Tall
12 ft Wide

Dormancy

Evergreen

Calscape icon
Color

Pink, White

Flowering season

Winter, Spring

Sun

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Water

Very Low

Summer irrigation

Max 1x / month once established

Cold tolerance

Tolerates cold to 5° F

Soil drainage

Fast

Soil description

Rocky, gravelly.
Soil PH: 5.5 - 7.5

Propagation

By seed or cuttings

Site type

Rocky slopes at middle elevations in the Peninsular Range

Plant communities

Chaparral, Yellow Pine Forest

Use with plants of the Peninsular Ranges, such as Indian Mallow (Abutilon palmeri), California Copperleaf (Acalypha californica), Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum), Red Shanks (Adenostoma sparsifolium), Ceanothus spp., Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides or minutiflorus), Bush Poppy (Dendromecon rigida), Buckwheat (Eriogonum spp.), Flannelbush (Fremontodendron californicum or mexicanum), Silk Tassel Bush (Garrya spp.), Chaparral Yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei), Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), Hollyleaf Cherry (Prunus ilicifolia), Oaks (Quercus spp.), Currant/Gooseberry (Ribes spp.), Sage (Salvia spp.), Woolly Bluecurls (Trichostema lanatum or parishii), Mission Manzanita (Xylococcus bicolor), and Mojave Yucca (Yucca shidigera)

Hummingbirds
Birds
Bees
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 31 likely

Confirmed Likely

Acronicta perdita

Aethaloida packardaria