Arctostaphylos pringlei aka Pringle Manzanita

Arctostaphylos pringlei is a shrub that keeps its leaves year-round. It belongs to the heath family, Ericaceae. Common names include stickleaf, pinkbract, and Pringle’s manzanita. Kew gives its native range as southern Nevada through southwestern Utah into northwestern Mexico. It grows at mid-level heights among oaks, junipers, and pines. Its wild sites include dry slopes with rocks.

In gardens, it grows about 6.6 feet (2 metres) tall and wide. The broader height range is 3.3 to 9.8 feet (1–3 metres). It grows at a moderate rate. Sticky hairs coat its twigs, flower bracts, calyces, and fruit. The pinkish bracts look like small leaves near the flowers. They help explain the name pinkbract manzanita. Its leaves give the shrub a presence all year.

Flowers bloom from April to July. Bees and other insects pollinate them. Fruit ripens through summer and into autumn. The round fruits, called drupes, turn red to reddish brown. They have sticky hairs. The shrub draws wildlife, but the evidence names no visitors. Its pink bracts and lasting leaves add interest to gardens. Its size makes it a shrub, not a ground cover.

Give this plant sun and soil that drains well. It will not grow in shade. Sand and loam suit it. It accepts mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soil. Soil can be dry or moist but must drain well. The stated hardiness range is USDA zones 7–9. Grow new plants from seed or cuttings. Sow ripe seed in a greenhouse. Keep seedlings under shelter through their first winter. Treat dried seed before sowing, and give it a cold spell. Cuttings are hard to root and may take a year.

You can eat the fruit, though its taste varies. It can be astringent, with a dry, puckering feel. Native people have used fresh fruit as food. They have also used flour for cakes and drinks. The seeds are edible when ground. The flowers can make a bitter tea. Branches and bark have served as fuel and in smoking mixtures. Plants For A Future lists no known uses as medicine or known hazards. This does not prove safety for pets or for every use. The supplied evidence names no specific pests or diseases. It also lists no weed potential.