Shrub
Panchito Manzanita
Arctostaphylos × coloradensis 'Panchito'
Broadleaf evergreen groundcover with mahogany bark and early urn-shaped blooms.
- Evergreen
- Native
- Pollinator
- Groundcover
- Plant Select®
Quick facts
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 4–8
- Water
- Very low once established
- Sun
- Full sun to Part sun
- Size
- 18–30 in. tall × 3–5 ft wide
- Bloom & interest
- Pale pink urn-shaped flowers in early spring; glossy evergreen leaves and red stems year-round
- Plant type
- Shrub
- Native range
- A naturally occurring hybrid native to the Uncompahgre Plateau of western Colorado
- Plant Select
- Plant Select® recommended plant
Why we recommend it
A cold-hardy Colorado-native manzanita (Plant Select, 2006) that brings broadleaf-evergreen groundcover and early pink bells to zone 4–5 xeriscapes where California manzanitas can't survive.
Best regions: Front RangeHigh Desert
How to grow it
Watering to establish
Water weekly the first year and every 2–3 weeks the second; then only in long dry spells. Avoid summer overwatering.
Pruning
None needed; trim wayward stems after flowering.
Soil
Fast-draining, gravelly or sandy soil that is not strongly alkaline. Mulch with pine needles or gravel, and give afternoon shade on the hottest sites.
Pairs well with
Read more
Where to buy
Shop Panchito Manzanita from trusted growers. For the best selection of xeric plants, try a mail-order specialist or ask a local independent nursery.
- High Country Gardens (opens in a new tab)Xeric specialist
- Nature Hills Nursery (opens in a new tab)Wide selection
- American Meadows (opens in a new tab)Perennials & seeds
- Etsy (opens in a new tab)Small growers
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