Arctostaphylos ‘White Lanterns’, White Lanterns Manzanita

This is a beautiful winter-blooming shrub with white flowers that contrast well with the dark mahogany bark. It is similar to ‘Howard McMinn’ but more dense and fine textured and is a great choice as a specimen plant or for mass planting. This manzanita stands out due to its mass of flowers that bloom so thick they almost hide the foliage! It is covered with clusters of white blossoms opening from pink buds over a long period in late winter, making it an excellent early nectar source for hummingbirds and bees. Flowers are followed by abundant, rusty-colored fruits that the birds love to eat.

White Lanterns is slow-growing and eventually may reach 3–4 ft tall and wide. It is exceptionally disease-resistant. Plant in full sun to very light shade with little to no water once established. It grows best in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil. Needs part shade in inland sites. Introduced by Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.