Greenleaf Manzanita
Arctostaphylos patula
Family: Ericaceae
What it is like
Arctostaphylos patula is an evergreen Shrub growing to 2 m (6ft) by 2 m (6ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in leaf all year, in flower from March to May, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 2
Where it is found
Open coniferous forests.
South-western N. America.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia, North America, Tasmania, USA,
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
Fruit - raw or cooked. The fully ripe fruit is pleasantly acid with a flavour resembling green apples. It can be dried, ground into a powder then used in making cakes etc. The fruit can also be used for making jelly and cider. The fruit is about 8 - 10mm in diameter. Seed - ground into a powder and added to soups etc. The seed is very small and would be difficult to separate from the fruit. It would be easier to dry the whole fruit, grind this into a powder and use it in soups etc.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The leaves are astringent. They have been used in the treatment of VD. They are also used as a poultice on burns, cuts etc.
Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
VD: Used in the treatment of venereal disease
Other
Rating: 1
A yellowish-brown dye is obtained from the leaves, it does not require a mordant.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
How it is grown
Requires a deep moist well-drained light or medium lime-free loam in sun or semi-shade but plants produce less fruit when they are grown in the shade. Prefers a soil that is dry in the summer. Plants are not very wind-firm. Plants are hardy to about -10°c. This species was growing well at Chelsea Physic garden after the harsh winter of 1985/86, showing no signs of damage. Highly fire resistant, it can regenerate after a forest fire from a mallee-like base. Plants self-layer in nature. A very ornamental plant, it grows well in Britain. Plants resent root disturbance and should be placed in their final positions as soon as possible.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe. Pre-soak dried seed in boiling water for 10 - 20 seconds or burn some straw on top of them and then stratify at 2 - 5°c for 2 months. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 3 months at 15°c. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame or greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of side shoots of the current season's growth, 5 - 8cm with a heel, August to December in a frame. The cuttings are very slow and can take a year to root. This species is very difficult from cuttings. Division in early spring. Take care because the plant resents root disturbance. Pot the divisions up and keep them in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are growing away actively. Layering in spring.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 5-9
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist