Xylococcus spp.

Southern California and Baja California

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Hummingbirds Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

HardinessZones 9–10

Overview

Xylococcus spp. is a monotypic genus in the heath family, represented by X. bicolor, the mission manzanita of southern California and Baja California. It is an evergreen shrub, usually 3 to 10 ft (0.9 to 3 m) tall and occasionally taller, with crooked branches clad in smooth reddish-brown bark that shreds in thin strips. The leathery leaves are dark green and glossy above and densely white-woolly beneath, 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) long, with margins rolled under. Small urn-shaped flowers, white to pale pink, hang in short clusters from late winter into early spring and are followed by reddish, mealy drupes about 0.3 inch (8 mm) across. Although it closely resembles a true manzanita, Xylococcus spp. differs in its woolly leaf undersides and in the hard, bony stone of its fruit. Plants develop a woody basal burl and resprout after wildfire. The genus is restricted to coastal sage scrub and chaparral on dry slopes, and it is slow-growing and difficult to establish in gardens, demanding fast drainage and dry summer conditions, which keeps it uncommon in cultivation.

Native Range

Xylococcus bicolor is native to the coastal hills and chaparral of southern California, from roughly Orange and Riverside counties south, and into northwestern Baja California, Mexico. It grows on dry, sunny slopes within sage scrub and chaparral, often near the coast.

Suggested Uses

Xylococcus spp. is grown in native and drought-tolerant gardens, chaparral restorations, and informal screens within its mild coastal range. Its evergreen, two-toned foliage and reddish bark add structure to dry slopes. Outside frost-free Mediterranean climates and without sharp drainage, it is difficult to maintain.

How to Identify

Identify Xylococcus spp. by leathery, oval leaves that are glossy dark green above and white- to rust-woolly underneath, with edges curled downward. The reddish bark peels in thin flakes, and the small flowers are urn-shaped and nodding, as in manzanitas. The fruit is a round reddish drupe with a single hard stone, separating it from the dry, several-seeded fruits of true Arctostaphylos spp..

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 10'

Width/Spread4' - 8'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Winter Spring

Flowering runs from midwinter into early spring, roughly December to March in its mild native climate. The nodding urn-shaped flowers open in small drooping clusters and supply nectar to bees and overwintering hummingbirds. Reddish fruits mature through late spring and summer.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

White to pale pink

Foliage Description

Dark green above, white-woolly beneath

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

5-8 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Xylococcus spp. requires full sun and sharply drained sandy, loamy, or rocky soil with a pH near 5.5 to 7.0. It is adapted to a Mediterranean climate of wet winters and dry summers, and established plants need no summer irrigation; excess summer water on heavy soil promotes root rot. Frost tolerance is limited, and plants are reliable only in nearly frost-free coastal zones. Growth is slow, and young plants establish poorly when their roots are disturbed. Where it succeeds, the shrub is long-lived and needs little maintenance once settled.

Pruning

Little pruning is required; light tip pruning after flowering shapes the shrub and encourages density. Older plants resprout from the basal burl if cut back hard or burned. Dead and crossing branches are removed in spring.