Greenleaf manzanita facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Greenleaf manzanita |
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A. patula
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| Arctostaphylos patula Greene
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The Arctostaphylos patula, often called greenleaf manzanita, is a type of manzanita plant. It grows naturally in western North America. You can find it in conifer forests in mountains, from medium to high elevations.
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Where Greenleaf Manzanita Grows
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The greenleaf manzanita is one of the most common types of manzanita. It grows across a large part of western North America. You can find it as far north as Washington state and as far east as Colorado. It reaches the Pacific Coast in the west and goes south into Baja California, Mexico. This plant can grow at many different heights, from about 1,500 feet to 12,000 feet above sea level.
What Greenleaf Manzanita Looks Like
This shrub usually grows to be about 1 to 2 meters (about 3 to 6.5 feet) tall. It often stays low to the ground. Some of its lower branches can even grow roots into the soil. Other branches spread out more than they grow upwards.
Its stems are twisty and have a reddish-brown color. They look shiny because of a sticky liquid they produce. The leaf stems might sometimes have clear, sticky hairs. The leaves themselves are oval or almost round. They are flat, shiny, and smooth. They can grow up to 6 centimeters (about 2.4 inches) long and 4 centimeters (about 1.6 inches) wide.
Flowers and Fruits
The greenleaf manzanita has many flowers. They are white to pink and shaped like small urns. Each flower has five tiny bumps at the opening. These flowers hang in bunches.
The plant also produces dark brown fruits. These fruits are almost a centimeter (about 0.4 inches) wide. Each fruit contains about five very hard seeds, which can be stuck together.
How Seeds Are Spread
Animals like squirrels and other small mammals often help spread the seeds. They collect and hide the seeds. Sometimes, birds and larger animals like bears, coyotes, and foxes eat the fruits. Then, they help spread the seeds in their droppings.
For the seeds to grow, they need two things. First, they need to experience a fire. After that, they need cold weather. Seeds can stay in the soil for hundreds of years before they finally sprout.
How It Reproduces
In some areas, greenleaf manzanitas have special woody growths called lignotubers. These are at the base of the plant. If the plant is damaged, like by a fire, new shoots can grow from these lignotubers. This allows the plant to reproduce without needing seeds.
Uses of Greenleaf Manzanita
Some Native American tribes in the Northwest Plateau region used the greenleaf manzanita. They would make a tea from it. This tea was used to help clean out the body.
The plant is also an important food source for deer. Deer often eat its leaves and branches.
See also
In Spanish: Arctostaphylos patula para niños
