This is a very rare manzanita, only existing in cultivation at several botanical gardens and among plant collectors like myself. Purchased from Linda Vista Natives, this is the low mounding shrub form.
The Low Mounding Shrub Form: James Roof is responsible for this form. One of the two genetically unique specimens he salvaged grew into a slightly taller, low-mounding shrub profile (reaching about 2 to 3 feet tall). He carefully tracked and maintained this form at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden
10/11/26 – The Franciscana, paired with all the other CA Natives! I’ve only got 3 non native plants on the front berm and it’s starting to come together nicely. Looking forward to all of these plants filling out in the coming months and years.
8/22/26 – Almost 2 years in the ground, looking like a champ. This is an extraordinary manzanita for a smallish space. I’ll be removing the rose that is next to this to give it some extra room. I almost never water this and it does not miss a beat.
7/21/26 – Jax was sleeping on this manzanita just before I snapped this picture. This is a good picture for scale; Jax is 65lbs 🙂
5/12/26 – It’s much easier to see the plant now that the grass is starting to die back. The shrub is about 20 months old now and doing great. I’ve stopped watering this regularly, I may give it a good soaking once a month if things start getting hot, so far it’s been mild, with the exception of the record heat from March.
3/18/26 – The first flowers have arrived and the leaves are clearly serving as food for some kind of caterpillar
12/22/25 – hard to see with all the green grass but it’s growing like a weed.
10/19/25 – Starting to fill out, I can imagine this will have a nice growth spurt this winter / spring season. It’s a very cheerful little manzanita.
7/6/25 – 10 months in the ground and looking very good.
10/28/24
Planted 9/9/24 (Shrub form, not Doyle drive)
3/21/26 – Spotted in it’s home range at the San Francisco Botanical Garden!
