Pajaro manzanita facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pajaro manzanita |
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A. pajaroensis
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| Arctostaphylos pajaroensis (J.E.Adams ex McMinn) J.E.Adams
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The Pajaro manzanita (Arctostaphylos pajaroensis) is a special kind of manzanita plant. It is a shrub that grows only in California. This means it is endemic to California. You can find it mostly in Monterey County.
This plant is an important part of the chaparral plant community. Chaparral is a type of natural area with many shrubs and small trees. It is common in California. In the past, Pajaro manzanita was also seen in Santa Cruz County and western San Benito County. Today, most of these plants grow in the hills south of the Pajaro River Valley.
What it Looks Like
The Pajaro manzanita is an upright shrub. It can grow at least 1 meter (about 3 feet) tall. Some plants can even reach over 4 meters (about 13 feet) in height.
Bark and Twigs
This manzanita has bark that peels off, looking red or grayish. Its smaller branches, called twigs, have soft, woolly hairs. They also have long, white, stiff hairs called bristles.
Leaves
The leaves of the Pajaro manzanita are thick and grow close together. They are usually gray-green with a hint of red. The edges of the leaves can be smooth, slightly toothed, or rolled inwards. Each leaf is shaped like an oval or a triangle. They are usually 2 to 4 centimeters (about 1 to 1.5 inches) long.
Flowers and Fruit
This shrub blooms during the winter months. It grows large, loose groups of flowers. These flowers are shaped like urns and can be pink or almost white. After the flowers, the plant produces a fruit called a drupe. A drupe is a fleshy fruit with a hard pit inside, like a peach. The fruit of the Pajaro manzanita is about 7 millimeters (about 0.3 inches) wide.
