Franciscan manzanita
Arctostaphylos franciscana
Last reviewed: September 2026
Toxicity unknown
Franciscan manzanita (Arctostaphylos franciscana) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
24"–48" H × 48"–96" W
Bloom
Jan, Feb, Mar
Native to
CA
Pollinators
bees
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 452 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
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Low mounding evergreen shrub with smooth reddish bark and small, leathery gray-green leaves, bearing clusters of pink-tinged white urn-shaped flowers in winter. Found on coastal bluffs and rocky outcrops, and is critically rare in the wild.
Wildlife value
Host plant for brown elfin.
Winter flowers are an important early nectar source for native bees; also a larval host for the brown elfin butterfly.
Common questions
- How much sun does Franciscan manzanita need?
- Franciscan manzanita grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Franciscan manzanita bloom?
- Franciscan manzanita blooms in January, February, and March.
- Where is Franciscan manzanita native?
- Franciscan manzanita (Arctostaphylos franciscana) is native to CA, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- What butterflies or moths does Franciscan manzanita host?
- Franciscan manzanita is a larval host plant for brown elfin.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Franciscan manzanita? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
Planning a bed around it? Start a free plan with this plant
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