Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Ericaceae

Genus:

Arbutus

Species:

Arbutus occidentalis

Growth Characteristics

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Shrub

Height:

900 cm

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may

Bloom Colors:

white, pink

Evergreen Shrub:

Yes

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, butterflies, bees, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from root crown after fire. Adapted to fire-prone chaparral ecosystems of Baja California.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

30–90 days

Notes:

Seeds benefit from cleaning to remove pulp. Germination can be erratic and slow, taking several months.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI