Description

The common manzanita grows as an open, upright shrub or tree with large oval leaves over burnt orange bark. It becomes the dominant large manzanita species in coastal mountains and western Sierra Nevada from about the latitude of Mt. Diablo up to the southern Cascades. The upright open form make this a popular specimen manzanita, motivating numerous horticultural selections over the years. Currently the ‘St. Helena’ selection is enjoying popularity. It grows to about 12 feet. ‘Byrd Hill’ is a shorter selection, growing to about 10 feet with a vase-shaped rather than rounded form. Byrd Hill is located in Napa County, where common manzanita is quite common. Not surprising, the most frequently planted selections of the common manzanita are all from this area (‘Hood Mountain’ included). The ‘Byrd Hill’ selection has become one of the nursery’s “re-patriation” projects since it is only available in Southern California these days. Hopefully it will be widely grown and planted in the North. The original selection was introduced by Skylark Nursery in 1975 (according to the Tree of Life Nursery website, September 18, 2025).