How to Prune Greenleaf Manzanita
With its dense crown of curiously gnarled branches, Greenleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula) evokes visions of the Great American Southwest for many gardeners. This native North American beauty isn’t very large, attaining a maximum height of 3 to 6 feet. Greenleaf Manzanita is often used for erosion control. It’s fire resistant, and stems have the unusual habit of rooting when living limbs touch the ground. Arctostaphylos likes full sun and warm summers followed by heavy snowfall; with few exceptions, this plant should be pruned infrequently.
Use clean, sharp pruning shears to remove only wood that is diseased or dead in late summer. Pruning stems from the Greenleaf Manzanita’s dense crown will ruin the appearance of the shrub. Remember that this plant takes care of itself very well in the wild without anyone pruning out its natural growth.
- With its dense crown of curiously gnarled branches, Greenleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula) evokes visions of the Great American Southwest for many gardeners.
Trim off stem tips only if they show obvious signs of damage or disease, as this is where flower buds form on the current season’s growth.
Prune off a few of the lower limbs of mature specimens to show off the beautiful red inner bark of the plant’s uniquely gnarled trunk. This attractive feature is revealed when the plant periodically drops shreds of its outer bark. Cut off one branch at a time, then step back a few paces. Look the Manzanita over from several angles and distances, and evaluate the plant’s appearance before removing the next limb.
Prune off a few more of the lowest limbs to train the Greenleaf Manzanita to tree form. As in Step 3, take your time and remove one limb at a time and look the plant over in between each cut.
- Trim off stem tips only if they show obvious signs of damage or disease, as this is where flower buds form on the current season’s growth.
- Prune off a few more of the lowest limbs to train the Greenleaf Manzanita to tree form.
Warning
You can prune a little more than just dead or diseased wood, if you absolutely must. About 25 percent of the plant can be pruned out without causing injury. But keep in mind that Greenleaf Manzanita is very slow-growing, and will take a long time to recover from a poor pruning job.
References
Resources
Warnings
- You can prune a little more than just dead or diseased wood, if you absolutely must. About 25 percent of the plant can be pruned out without causing injury. But keep in mind that Greenleaf Manzanita is very slow-growing, and will take a long time to recover from a poor pruning job.
Writer Bio
A full-time writer since 2007, Axl J. Amistaadt is a DMS 2013 Outstanding Contributor Award recipient. He publishes online articles with major focus on pets, wildlife, gardening and fitness. He also covers parenting, juvenile science experiments, cooking and alternative/home remedies. Amistaadt has written book reviews for Work At Home Truth.