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.

Franciscan manzanita

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Arctostaphylos franciscana

Last reviewed: October 2026

Franciscan manzanita (Arctostaphylos franciscana) is a perennial shrub native to CA. It blooms in January, February, and March. The flowers draw bees.

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

Pollinators

bees

Before you buy

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains

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.

Growing Franciscan manzanita

Grow Franciscan manzanita in full sun and low water. Mature plants reach 24 to 48 inches tall and spread 48 to 96 inches wide.

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.

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