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Arctostaphylos stanfordiana facts for kids

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Arctostaphylos stanfordiana
Arctostaphylosstanfordiana.jpg
Scientific classification
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A. stanfordiana
Binomial name
Arctostaphylos stanfordiana
Parry

Stanford's manzanita (scientific name: Arctostaphylos stanfordiana) is a special type of manzanita plant. It grows only in northern California. You can find it in the outer North Coast Ranges, which are mountains north of the San Francisco Bay Area. This makes it an endemic plant, meaning it's native to just one specific place.

About Stanford's Manzanita

What Does It Look Like?

Stanford's manzanita is a bushy shrub. It can grow from about 1.5 feet (0.5 meters) to 10 feet (3 meters) tall. Its leaves are shiny green. They are shaped like an oval or a wide spear. Each leaf can be up to 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) long.

Flowers and Fruit

The flowers of this manzanita grow in loose groups. They are shaped like small urns. The flowers are usually pink, but some can be so light they look almost white. After the flowers, the plant grows a fruit. This fruit is an oblong drupe, which is a type of fruit with a hard pit inside. It is about 7 millimeters (a quarter-inch) wide.

Different Types of Stanford's Manzanita

There are three main types, or subspecies, of Stanford's manzanita:

  • Rincon Manzanita (A. s. ssp. decumbens) - This is a rare type. It grows only in Sonoma County.
  • Raiche's Manzanita (A. s. ssp. raichei) - You can find this type mostly in Mendocino County.
  • Stanford's Manzanita (A. s. ssp. stanfordiana) - This is the most common type. It is found in more places than the other two.
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