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Taxon  Report  
Arctostaphylos crustacea  Eastw.
Brittle leaf manzanita
Arctostaphylos crustacea is a shrub that is native to California.
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Bloom Period
Subspecies and Varieties:
Genus: Arctostaphylos
Family: Ericaceae  
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Dicot
Jepson eFlora section: eudicot

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF

Alternate Names:
PLANTSArctostaphylos tomentosa ssp. crustacea
Information about  Arctostaphylos crustacea from other sources
Nursery availability from CNPLX
This plant is available commercially.
Jepson eFlora

USDA PLANTS Profile (ARTOC3)

Photos on Calflora

Photos on CalPhotos

Google Images

Photos on iNaturalist

ID Tips on PlantID.net

[calscape.org] Range, Description: Arctostaphylos crustacea is a species in the Ericaceae (Heath) family known by the common name Woollyleaf Manzanita. It was formerly considered a subspecies of A. tomentosa but has recently been elevated to species status. A. tomentosa remains as a distinct species. This shrub is endemic to California where it is a resident of chaparral canyons, foothills, and lower-elevation mountains from the San Francisco Bay region to Los Angeles County. One specialized habitat in which it is found is the Monterey Cypress forests at Point Lobos and Del Monte Forest in Monterey County, California. This is a low-lying, spreading Manzanita, generally quite a bit wider than it is tall. It is a variable species with six recognized subspecies. Some of the subspecies can vary in appearance across individuals. The stems may be red or gray or both, with smooth, rough, or shreddy bark, hairless to quite bristly. The leaves may be oval to lance-shaped and sometimes toothed, but the upper surface is generally darker and shinier than the lower. The flowers are white to pink and may be hairy or hairless inside. The fruits are fuzzy reddish drupes under a centimeter in diameter. (contributed by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2024. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 04/27/2024).