Plant Library

Other Names:  Carpet Manzanita

Description:

A handsome groundcover selection that is compact and dense, with small, glossy, deep green leaves; small white flowers in mid-winter, followed by red fruit; does not like alkaline soils; this is a coastal plant, protect from midday sun when planted inland

Ornamental Features

Emerald Carpet Manzanita features dainty nodding white bell-shaped flowers at the ends of the branches from late winter to early spring. It has attractive dark green evergreen foliage which emerges light green in spring. The small glossy oval leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter. It produces red berries from mid to late summer.

Landscape Attributes

Emerald Carpet Manzanita is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a ground-hugging habit of growth. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Emerald Carpet Manzanita is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• Groundcover

Planting & Growing

Emerald Carpet Manzanita will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have sandy, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.