Arctostaphylos stanfordiana
| Arctostaphylos stanfordiana | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-6.5 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 5' |
| Width: | 5' |
| Blooms: | Early Spring-Late Spring |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Arctostaphylos stanfordiana
Propagation: Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe. Pre-soak dried seed in boiling water for 10 - 20 seconds or burn some straw on top of them and then stratify at 2 - 5°c for 2 months[1][2]. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 3 months at 15°c[3]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame or greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer.
Cuttings of side shoots of the current season's growth, 5 - 8cm with a heel, August to December in a frame. The cuttings are very slow and can take a year to root[4][5]. The cuttings of this species usually strike readily[1].
Division in early spring. Take care because the plant resents root disturbance. Pot the divisions up and keep them in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are growing away actively.
Layering in spring[2].
Cultivation: Requires a deep moist well-drained light or medium lime-free loam in sun or semi-shade[6][1][7][2], but plants produce less fruit when they are grown in the shade[2]. Best given a neutral or slightly acid soil[1].
A difficult plant to cultivate, even in its native California[1]. It is best given a sunny position against a wall[1].
Plants resent root disturbance and should be placed in their final positions as soon as possible[1][3].
There are some named varieties selected for their ornamental value[2].
Range: South-western N. America - California.
Habitat: Open ridges and slopes, 300 - 1200 metres[8].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked. The dried fruit is said to have a better flavour than most members of this genus[9]. The fruit is about 5 - 7mm in diameter[2].
Usage: A yellowish-brown dye is obtained from the leaves, it does not require a mordant[10].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rice, Graham. Growing from Seed Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan, 1988.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ Simmons, Alan. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles, 1972.
- ↑ Taylor, Jane. The Milder Garden. Dent, 1990.
- ↑ Munz, David. A California Flora. University of California Press, 1959.
- ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.