Herb latin name: Arctostaphylos stanfordiana


Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)



Edible parts of Arctostaphylos stanfordiana:

Fruit - raw or cooked. The dried fruit is said to have a better flavour than most members of this genus. The fruit is about 5 - 7mm in diameter.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
150 cm
(5 feet)

Flowering:
March
to May

Habitat of the herb:

Open ridges and slopes, 300 - 1200 metres.

Other uses of Arctostaphylos stanfordiana:

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. The cuttings are very slow and can take a year to root. The cuttings of this species usually strike readily. 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 Arctostaphylos stanfordiana:

Open ridges and slopes, 300 - 1200 metres.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Arctostaphylos stanfordiana:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.