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Xylococcus bicolor

mission manzanita

Ericaceae

Coastal southern California and Baja California

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Hummingbirds Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 9–10

Overview

Xylococcus bicolor, mission manzanita, is an evergreen chaparral shrub of coastal southern California and Baja California, typically 3-10 feet (0.9-3 m) tall with a rounded, densely branched crown. It is the only species in its genus and resembles a true manzanita, with smooth reddish-brown bark that shreds in thin strips on older stems. The leathery leaves are 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) long, dark glossy green above and densely white-woolly beneath, with margins rolled under, giving the two-toned look behind the name. From winter into early spring it carries clusters of small urn-shaped flowers, white to pale pink, about 0.25 inch (6 mm) long. Reddish berry-like drupes follow in summer. X. bicolor sprouts from a woody basal burl after fire and grows on dry, well-drained slopes in chaparral and coastal sage scrub. It needs sharp drainage and minimal summer water, and like many chaparral shrubs it is difficult to establish in irrigated gardens, where root rot is common.

Native Range

Native to the coastal ranges and foothills of southern California, from roughly Los Angeles and Orange counties south through San Diego County into Baja California, Mexico. It grows in chaparral and coastal sage scrub on dry, well-drained slopes below about 2,500 feet (760 m).

Suggested Uses

Grown in native plant gardens, chaparral restorations, and dry, low-water landscapes within its mild-winter range. It works on sunny banks and slopes for erosion control and as informal evergreen cover. The winter flowers support early pollinators in habitat plantings.

How to Identify

Look for leathery leaves that are dark green above and white-woolly beneath with down-rolled margins, the trait behind the name bicolor. Smooth reddish bark shredding in strips, urn-shaped white-to-pink winter flowers, and a swollen basal burl mark the species. Unlike true Arctostaphylos spp. manzanitas, its leaf undersides are densely white-felted and its fruit is a several-seeded drupe rather than a mealy berry.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 10'

Width/Spread4' - 8'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~12 weeks

Winter Spring

Small urn-shaped flowers open from late fall through early spring, mainly December to March, in nodding clusters at the branch tips. Blooms are white to pale pink and draw early-season bees and hummingbirds. Reddish drupes ripen through the following summer.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white to pale pink

Foliage Description

dark green above, white beneath

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-12 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

5-10 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow in full sun to light shade on lean, fast-draining soil; sandy or rocky slopes match its native ground. Water lightly until established, then withhold most summer irrigation, as the roots are prone to fungal rot in warm, wet soil. It tolerates drought, heat, and coastal exposure but is slow to establish and seldom survives transplanting once rooted. Hardy in zones 9 and 10, it is damaged by hard frost. No fertilizer is needed in native or lean soils. Propagation is slow and difficult, usually from semi-hardwood cuttings or seed that needs fire or heat treatment to germinate.

Pruning

Little pruning is needed beyond removing dead or damaged wood after flowering. Light tip pruning shapes young plants, while hard cutting is avoided on established shrubs, which respond poorly except from the basal burl. Spent flower clusters need no removal.