Arctostaphylos stanfordiana aka Stanford's Manzanita

Arctostaphylos stanfordiana is an evergreen shrub. It belongs to the heath family, Ericaceae. People call it Stanford's manzanita or Rincon manzanita. It comes from northwestern California. There, it grows on open ridges and slopes. These sites lie about 984–3,937 feet [300–1,200 metres] above sea level. Kew places it in the temperate climate zone.

In gardens, it grows about 5 feet [1.5 metres] tall and wide. It keeps its leaves all year. It flowers from March to May. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects pollinate the flowers. The fruit measures about 0.02 feet [0.005–0.007 metres] across. Plants in shade bear less fruit than those in sun. Its year-round leaves suit the sunny edge of a woodland garden. Growers have also chosen named forms for use as garden plants.

This shrub needs deep soil that drains well. Light sandy soil or medium loam suits it. Plants For A Future advises using soil free of lime. It prefers neutral soil or soil that is slightly acid. The source also says it tolerates very acid soil. It can grow in dry or moist ground. It accepts light shade but bears more fruit in sun. A sunny spot against a wall is another suggested site. The listed USDA hardiness range is zones 5–9.

This shrub can be hard to grow, even in its native California. Its roots dislike disturbance. Move young plants to their final site early. For best results, sow seed under glass soon after it ripens. Treat dried seed first, then give it two months of cold stratification. This means keeping the seed in cold, moist conditions. Seeds can then take two to three months to sprout. Keep young plants in a cold frame or greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer. You can also take side-shoot cuttings to grow new plants. These may take a year to form roots.

You can eat the fruit fresh or cooked. Plants For A Future says the dried fruit tastes good compared with fruit from related plants. The leaves yield a yellow-brown dye. It needs no mordant to fix the colour. The same source lists no known medicinal uses or hazards. This lack of known hazards does not prove safety for pets. It lists no weed potential for this species.