Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Ericaceae

Genus:

Arctostaphylos

Species:

Arctostaphylos hookeri

USDA Symbol:

ARHO3

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Subshrub

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun,Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

jan,feb,mar,apr

Bloom Colors:

white, pink

Ground Cover:

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

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown after fire. Some populations are burl-forming. Seeds may benefit from fire-related cues including smoke and heat scarification.

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:

native to coastal chaparral and scrub

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 requiring scarification (hot water treatment or mechanical abrasion) followed by cold stratification. Fire or smoke treatment can improve germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI