Manzanita

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Manzanita

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Genus:	Arctostaphylos

Species

See text

See Manzanita (album) for the Mia Doi Todd album. For the alcoholic beverage see Manzana. For the residence hall at UCSB see Manzanita Village. For the town in Oregon see Manzanita, Oregon.

The Manzanitas are a subgenus of the genus Arctostaphylos. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees present in the chaparral biome of western North America, where they occur from southern British Columbia in Canada, Washington to California and New Mexico in the United States, and throughout much of northern and central Mexico. They are characterised by smooth, orange or red bark and stiff, twisting branches. There are about 60 species of manzanita, ranging from ground-hugging coastal and mountain species to small trees up to 6m tall. Manzanitas bloom in the winter to early spring and carry berries in spring and summer. The berries and flowers of most species are edible, though not particularly tasty.

Native uses of the plant include collecting the berries, drying them, and grinding them up into a coarse meal. Fresh berries and branch tips were also soaked in water and drunk, making a refreshing cider. When the bark curls off, it can be used as a tea for nausea and upset stomach^{[citation needed]}. The younger leaves are sometimes plucked and chewed by hikers to deter thirst^{[citation needed]}.

Manzanita bark

See also Bearberry for other species in the same genus.

The word manzanita is the Spanish diminutive of manzana (apple). A literal translation would be little apple. The name manzanita is also sometimes used to refer to species in the related genus Arbutus, which is known by that name in the Canadian area of the tree's range, but is more usually known as madroño, or madrone in the United States.

[edit] Uses

Manzanitas are extremely useful as ornamental plants in the western United States, and other similar climate zones. They are evergreen, highly drought-tolerant, have picturesque bark and attractive flowers and berries, and come in a wide variety of sizes and growth patterns. A. columbiana, for example, is tough enough to be used for highway landscaping in western Oregon and Washington. A. 'emerald carpet', A. uva-ursi, and other low growing manzanitas are extremely valuable evergreen groundcovers for dry slopes. Larger varieties can be grown as individual specimens, and pruned to emphasize the striking pattern and colors of the branches. They prefer light, well-drained soil, although the low-growing ground covers will tolerate heavier soils.

Manzanitas unique and picturesque shape and color makes them very popular as decorative branches. When they are dried, they maintain their strengh and visual appeal, and can be used as jewelry trees, as part of wedding decorations, for hanging crystals or any other kind of ornaments.

The wood is notoriously hard to cure, mostly due to cracking against the grain, giving it few uses as timber. The slow growth rate and high number of branchings further decrease the sizes available. Some furniture and art utilizes whole round branches, which reduces cracking and preserves the deep red color.

The dead wood decays slowly and can last for many years, on and off of the plant. It bleaches under sunlight to light grey or white tones and smooth surfaces, looking superficially like animal bones. Because of this and the stunted slow growth of many species, it is often found in unusual shapes, and collected. This has resulted in the nickname mountain driftwood.

A more unusual market for manzanita wood is its use as perches for parrots and other large birds, kept as pets. The branches of the larger species are extremely long lasting in this regard.

Some aquarium keepers use sandblasted samples of the wood as driftwood in planted aquaria. They choose this hard wood for both its attractive forked growth patterns and for its chemical neutrality. If properly cleaned and cured, it holds up well over extended periods of submersion. Additionally, the wood is resistant to the leaching of tannins into the water column, a problem often associated with other types of driftwood used in aquaria. When used in this manner, Manzanita often must be either weighted down for a few weeks or soaked in advance to counteract the wood's natural buoyancy.

Manzanita wood, when dry, is a very good fuel for wood burning in a campfire, barbecue, fireplace, and stove. It is dense and burns at a high temperature for long periods. However, caution should be exercised, because the high temperatures can damage thin walled barbecues, and even crack cast iron stoves or cause chimney fires.

[edit] Threats

Some manzanita species are among the rarest plants in the world. Arctostaphylos hookeri subsp. ravenii (also known as Presidio manzanita) is the most endangered and restricted plant on the mainland of the United States. In 1987 only one individual remained, at a secret location in the Presidio district of San Francisco, California. This plant has since been successfully cloned.