Arctostaphylos morroensis

There are 18 occurrences of the Arctostaphylos morroensis plant, and it is abundant in some local areas.[2] It is limited to a specific type of substrate known as "Baywood fine sands", a type of sandy soil which originated in the Pleistocene as windblown sand dunes.[3] The plant is found on less than 900 acres of coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitat, sometimes forming monotypic stands on hillsides.[3]

Two thirds of its habitat is privately owned, some of it is slated for development, and its habitat requirements are narrow; these and other problems led to the plant's being listed as a threatened species in 1994.[3] Some of the plants are protected within Montaña de Oro State Park.[3]

Arctostaphylos morroensis is a spreading shrub, reaching up to 4 meters in height but generally staying wider than tall. It has shreddy red-gray bark and whiskery bristles on the smaller branches and twigs. The leaves are oval-shaped and slightly convex, dark green on the upper surface and duller gray-green beneath. Plentiful flowers hang in dense clusters on short pedicels during the winter months. They are usually very light pink, urn-shaped, and hairy inside. The fruits are fuzzy red drupes each about a centimeter wide.

The Arctostaphylos morroensis plant is cultivated as a landscaping ornamental plant, for California native plant, drought tolerant, and natural habitat gardens.

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  Bark
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  Leaves and fruit
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  Leaves and fruit

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arctostaphylos morroensis.

• Jepson Manual Treatment — Arctostaphylos morroensis
• USDA Plants Profile for Arctostaphylos morroensis (Morro manzanita)
• Arctostaphylos morroensis — U.C. Photo gallery
• Federal Conservation Status & Recovery Plan