How much sun does Little Sur manzanita need?

Little Sur manzanita grows best in full sun conditions.

When does Little Sur manzanita bloom?

Little Sur manzanita blooms in December, January, February, and March.

Where is Little Sur manzanita native?

Little Sur manzanita (Arctostaphylos edmundsii) is native to CA, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).

What butterflies or moths does Little Sur manzanita host?

Little Sur manzanita is a larval host plant for brown elfin.

Little Sur manzanita

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Arctostaphylos edmundsii

Last reviewed: August 2026

Toxicity unknown

Little Sur manzanita (Arctostaphylos edmundsii) 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

6"–18" H × 48"–72" W

Bloom

Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar

Native to

Pollinators

bees, hummingbirds

Before you buy

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A low, mat-forming evergreen shrub with small, rounded leaves and smooth reddish bark on older stems. Clusters of small urn-shaped pink to white flowers appear in winter, followed by round berries.

Wildlife value

Host plant for brown elfin.

Winter flowers feed bees and hummingbirds when little else blooms, and the foliage hosts brown elfin butterfly caterpillars.

Common questions

How much sun does Little Sur manzanita need?: Little Sur manzanita grows best in full sun conditions.
When does Little Sur manzanita bloom?: Little Sur manzanita blooms in December, January, February, and March.
Where is Little Sur manzanita native?: Little Sur manzanita (Arctostaphylos edmundsii) is native to CA, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
What butterflies or moths does Little Sur manzanita host?: Little Sur 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.

Ready to grow Little Sur manzanita? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

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