CCSF Students Finish Plantings of Manzanita

The final plantings of the manzanita demonstration garden was completed by CCSF students with the guidance of our partners Bay Natives.  This ambitious and beautiful project was conceived and designed by Geoff Coffey and Paul Furman from Bay Native's working together with LEJ's Patrick Rump.  Paul began the plantings on New Years Day 2013 with Bay Native interns and in the following weeks public school visitors along with CCSF students enrolled in Sust 91 at the EcoCenter put in the last plants.  Manzanita, which is Spanish for little apple, is the common name for the genus Arctostaphylos.  Many species of manzanita are found in California and range in form from low ground covers to large tree-like shrubs.  Their distinctive reddish or mahogany colored bark and their silver to green foliage makes them easy to identify.  These drought tolerant plants are easy to grow in San Francisco gardens and they are great plants for wildlife.  Their small bell shaped flowers attract hummingbirds and provide nectar for butterflies and other native insects. Be careful not to over water though especially during summer. Manzanita also do not like fertilizer. Come take a walk along the path through the garden look and read about the many species and cultivars represented.  Then don't be shy to walk over to Bay Natives and see about taking some of these beautiful and important California natives home to your garden!