I suspect I talk about point-leaf manzantia ( Arctostaphylos pungens) every February, as it is the time of year when I’m feeling florally deprived and seeing it blooming in the hills above our home is a remedy. There are two species of manzanita found in the borderlands and four total in Arizona. When I worked in a nursey in northern New Mexico we grew Arctostaphylos uva ursi, a low ground hugging species that shows up in herbal remedies under the name Uva ursi which, by the way, translates as “bear’s grape” making the whole botanical name mean “bear grapes bear’s grape”. Goodness!
A couple notes: the photos are mine and show a large plant in bloom and then some close up photos of the pointy leaves and the beautiful porcelain looking flowers. You can see where the flowers have been pierced by a nectar robbing insect. The flowers have small openings and not everyone can get in. Pretty cool. The melody I steal for my song is from O Come, O Come, Immanuel, a very old Christmas song. Now you know.
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