Arctostaphylos hookeri aka Hooker's Manzanita

Arctostaphylos hookeri is known as Hooker's or Monterey manzanita. It belongs to Ericaceae, the heath family. This evergreen shrub comes from northwestern and central-western California. Its range includes the north and central coast and San Francisco Bay area. Kew places it in the temperate biome. It is not native to Oregon or Britain and Ireland. The species name honours the botanist Sir William Jackson Hooker.

This low shrub can form a dense mound or thicket. Many plants stand about 1 foot [0.3 m] tall. Garden plants usually stay below 3 feet [0.9 m]. Some reach 6.5–10 feet [2–3 m], well above the usual range. Many bent branches give the plant its shape. The bark is smooth and glossy, with a red-brown colour. Young twigs start yellow-green and bear fine hairs. As they age, they turn dark red and lose their hairs. The buds are small and pointed.

The leaves grow one at a time along the stems. They are simple, leathery, and green on both sides. Their shapes range from broad ovals to narrow, lance-like forms. Leaf tips are pointed, while the bases may be rounded or wedge-shaped. The edges lack teeth, and the surfaces can look shiny. Fine hairs on young leaves disappear as the leaves age. Many leaves stand almost upright rather than lying flat. The leaves remain on the shrub through the year. Together, these leaves give the low mound its evergreen cover.

Small flowers hang in close groups at the branch tips. Each flower has an urn shape and a white-to-pink colour. Virginia Tech places flowering in early spring. Oregon State gives a wider season, from early spring into summer. The flowers contain both male and female parts. Round red fruits follow, each with a small apple-like look. Botanically, these berry-like fruits are drupes. They ripen in summer and can remain on the plant afterward.

In gardens, give this manzanita sun or partial sun. It needs soil that drains well and occasional summer water. Oregon State lists it as hardy to USDA Zone 8. Its low form, lasting leaves, and red-brown bark provide garden interest. Flowers add seasonal detail, followed by red fruit. The evidence provides no species-level guidance on pests, diseases, edibility, or toxicity.