Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Ericaceae

Genus:

Arctostaphylos

Species:

Arctostaphylos canescens subsp. canescens

USDA Symbol:

ARCI

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

200 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

feb,mar,apr

Bloom Colors:

white, pink

Evergreen Shrub:

Yes

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

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

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★★☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, bees, butterflies, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from basal burls after fire and may also germinate from seed bank; adapted to California's fire regime with thick bark and lignotuber structures.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

Prefers coastal or chaparral habitats

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

30–180 days

Notes:

Seeds have hard seed coats and double dormancy; scarification plus cold stratification improves germination rates which can be slow and erratic.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI