Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Ericaceae

Genus:

Arctostaphylos

Species:

Arctostaphylos otayensis

USDA Symbol:

AROT

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

150 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

jan,feb,mar

Bloom Colors:

white, pink

Ground Cover:

Yes

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

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from basal burl after fire. Fire stimulates flowering and seed germination but is not strictly required for reproduction.

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 chaparral regions; prefers rocky slopes

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

30–90 days

Notes:

Seeds have very hard seed coats and benefit from both scarification and cold stratification. Germination can be slow and erratic even with proper treatment.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI