bristly bearberry
Arctostaphylos columbiana Piper
Arctostaphylos columbiana, known as bristly bearberry, is a manzanita native to the western coast of North America, from northern California to southwestern British Columbia. It is a shrub or small tree, typically 1–5 meters tall, with hairy branches and oval, fuzzy leaves. The plant produces small, white, urn-shaped flowers and red drupes. It thrives in open, rocky habitats and occasionally hybridizes with Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. The species was described by Piper in 1915.
Description
Arctostaphylos columbiana is a member of the Ericaceae family. Its leaves are 2–6 cm long and 2–3 cm wide, pale bluish green, and fuzzy on both sides. The inflorescences are clustered, and the fruit is a red, 1 cm drupe. Germination requires either fire or animal digestion. The plant is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental. It is distributed in British Columbia, California, Oregon, and Washington.
Other common names
bristly bearberrybristly manzanitahairy manzanita
Distribution
British Columbia · Global · California · Oregon · Washington
Synonyms
Arctostaphylos columbiana f. setosissimaArctostaphylos columbiana var. tracyiArctostaphylos columbiana f. tracyiArctostaphylos setosissimaArctostaphylos tracyiArctostaphylos columbiana var. columbiana
