Herb: Parry Manzanita


Latin name: Arctostaphylos parryana


Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)



Edible parts of Parry Manzanita:

The ground berry pulp is used as a food.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
180 cm
(6 feet)

Habitat of the herb:

Dry stony slopes, 1200 - 2250 metres in California.

Other uses of Parry Manzanita:

A yellowish-brown dye is obtained from the leaves, it does not require a mordant.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe. Pre-soak dried seed in boiling water for 10 - 20 seconds or burn some straw on top of them and then stratify at 2 - 5°C for 2 months. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 3 months at 15°C. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame or greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of side shoots of the current season's growth, 5 - 8cm with a heel, August to December in a frame. Takes one year. Division in early spring. Take care because the plant resents root disturbance. Pot the divisions up and keep them in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are growing away actively. Layering in spring.

Cultivation of Parry Manzanita:

Dry stony slopes, 1200 - 2250 metres in California.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Arctostaphylos parryana:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.