Arctostaphylos pringlei
Parry
Stickleaf Manzanita
(c) rpmundo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by rpmundo
(c) Stan Shebs, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
(c) rpmundo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by rpmundo
What to Eat
Fruits are edible and considered better-tasting than A. patula, though still often astringent. They are usually red to reddish-brown, globose drupes with sticky hairs. Seeds (nutlets) are also edible when ground, an unusual trait among manzanitas. Flowers can be used for bitter teas. Fruits were a traditional Native food, eaten fresh or ground into flour for cakes and beverages.
Where to Find It
Southern California to Texas and into Mexico
Arizona, California, Mexico Northwest, Nevada, Utah
How to Identify
Arctostaphylos pringlei is an evergreen Shrub growing to 2 m (6ft) by 2 m (6ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8 and is not frost tender. The flowers are pollinated by Bees, Insects. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
How to Grow
Found at mid elevations in oak, juniper, and pine communities from southern California to Texas and into Mexico. Blooms April–July; fruits mature through summer into fall. Prefers dry, rocky slopes with good drainage. Growth & Ecology: An evergreen shrub, 1–3 m tall, with sticky-hairy twigs, bracts, calyces, and fruits. Notable for its leaf-like pinkish bracts. Hardiness: USDA zones 7–9.
Propagation: Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe. Pre-soak dried seed in boiling water for 10 - 20 seconds or burn some straw on top of them and then stratify at 2 - 5°c for 2 months. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 3 months at 15°c. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame or greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of side shoots of the current season's growth, 5 - 8cm with a heel, August to December in a frame. The cuttings are very slow and can take a year to root. This species is very difficult from cuttings. Division in early spring. Take care because the plant resents root disturbance. Pot the divisions up and keep them in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are growing away actively. Layering in spring.
Other Uses
Branches and bark were used for fuel and sometimes in smoking mixtures.
Names & Synonyms
Pringle’s, Pinkbract, or Stickleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos pringlei Parry)
