Other Names:  Woollyleaf Manzanita, A. crustacea eastwoodiana

Description:

A handsome, densely leafed shrub that can be maintained as a hedge; white flowers, sometimes blushed with pink, cover this fine selection in mid winter; does not like alkaline soils; this is a coastal plant, protect from midday sun when planted inland

Ornamental Features

Eastwood's Brittle-leaf Manzanita features dainty nodding white bell-shaped flowers with pink overtones at the ends of the branches from mid winter to early spring. It has forest green foliage with grayish green undersides which emerges light green in spring. The fuzzy oval leaves remain forest green throughout the winter. The fruits are showy brick red drupes displayed from mid summer to early winter.

Landscape Attributes

Eastwood's Brittle-leaf Manzanita is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Eastwood's Brittle-leaf Manzanita is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Eastwood's Brittle-leaf Manzanita will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have sandy, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America.