Pinemat Manzanita
Scientific Name:
Arctostaphylos nevadensis
Type:
Shrub
Habitat:
Montane, coniferous forests
Range:
Washington, Oregon, California, and Nevada
Status:
No listed status
This species is
NATIVE
to the Truckee Meadows.
Identification:
Pinemat manzanita is easy to spot thanks to the smooth, reddish bark found on mature branches. These shrubs are generally less than three feet tall, although can grow larger depending on location. The leaves of pinemat manzanitas are small, usually about one inch long and a half an inch wide, are dark green in color, and have very small hairs. These shrubs have urn-shaped flowers that can be found from May to July.
Fast Facts:
Manzanita shrubs are cold to the touch! These shrubs feel cold due to the water flowing through the bark close to the surface. This makes them easy to identify, and easy to enjoy leaning up against on a warm day.
These shrubs are excellent at preventing erosion! For this reason, many choose to plant them along roads and trails.
To ensure seed dispersal, this shrub relies on bees to shake inside their flowers and release pollen! This is easy for bees, they are expert dancers!
Occasional fires improve pinemat manzanita seed germination, while freezing temperatures and snow have been found to protect dormant buds.
Sources:
USDA Plant Guide, Pinemat Manzanita, 2006, https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_arne.pdf
Image: Dcrjsr, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pinemat_manzanita_Arctostaphylos_nevadensis.jpg, license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en, cropped from original.
Image: Thayne Tuason, https://www.flickr.com/photos/thaynet/8725472824/, license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/, cropped from original.
Contributor(s):
Bridget Mulkerin (research & content)
Alex Shahbazi (edits & page design)