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Arctostaphylos pungens

Mexican Manzanita · Point-leaf Manzanita · Pointleaf Manzanita

Family EricaceaeGenus Arctostaphylos

A rounded evergreen shrub with dense dark foliage standing among pale dry scrub
The whole plantStan ShebsCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
shrubPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Shrub, SubshrubPLANTS Database
Height
12.0 ft3.7 mPLANTS Database
Flower
WhitePLANTS Database
Blooms
Late WinterPLANTS Database
Native range
Arizona, California, Guatemala, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Growing conditions

Sun
Shade tolerance: MediumPLANTS Database
Soil
Adapted to coarse, medium textured soilsPLANTS Database
Soil pH
5.7-7.0PLANTS Database
Moisture
Moisture use: LowPLANTS Database
Watering
Drought tolerance: HighPLANTS Database

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Pointleaf manzanita grows in chaparral, woodland and on desert ridges from the southwestern United States to central Mexico. It can be seen at Tent Rocks National Monument in New Mexico, at about 6,000 feet. Wikipedia: Arctostaphylos pungens

Two sources report 4 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 14, 2022.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 1460 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Gibberellic acid soak

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    5/19 germinated in this phase.

  4. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  5. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    1/19 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 4 run on after germination.

about 4 years from start to step 4. Germination happens during step 4, in 84 days.

47% germination in 49–84 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Arctostaphylos p. 14Public domain
Show the original text
Arctostaphylos (Ericaceae). 1 - A. pungens seêds DS 4 y germ. 70 GA-3(5/19 in 7-12 w)-40(9/19 in 7-12 w)- 70D(1/19 on 8th d) simifar to seeds DS 0-3 y.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Arctostaphylos p. 14. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 56 days to germinate.

12% germination in 56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Arctostaphylos p. 99Public domain
Show the original text
Arctostaphylos (Erlcaceae). Wild collected seeds of seven species were studied. The seeds vary greatly in size. Only the larger seeds ever germ., and the undersize seeds were not counted. Puncturing the seed coats had no effect so the long extended germinations do not seem to be a question of impervious seed coats despite a literature claim that A. pungens germ. 70 GA-3(2/16 in 8th w), 70L(1/60), 70D(none), and 40- 70D(1/60). The experiments are only for 14 wand are incomplete.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Arctostaphylos p. 99. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

2% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Arctostaphylos p. 99Public domain
Show the original text
Arctostaphylos (Erlcaceae). Wild collected seeds of seven species were studied. The seeds vary greatly in size. Only the larger seeds ever germ., and the undersize seeds were not counted. Puncturing the seed coats had no effect so the long extended germinations do not seem to be a question of impervious seed coats despite a literature claim that A. pungens germ. 70 GA-3(2/16 in 8th w), 70L(1/60), 70D(none), and 40- 70D(1/60). The experiments are only for 14 wand are incomplete.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Arctostaphylos p. 99. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 15, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

2% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Arctostaphylos p. 99Public domain
Show the original text
Arctostaphylos (Erlcaceae). Wild collected seeds of seven species were studied. The seeds vary greatly in size. Only the larger seeds ever germ., and the undersize seeds were not counted. Puncturing the seed coats had no effect so the long extended germinations do not seem to be a question of impervious seed coats despite a literature claim that A. pungens germ. 70 GA-3(2/16 in 8th w), 70L(1/60), 70D(none), and 40- 70D(1/60). The experiments are only for 14 wand are incomplete.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Arctostaphylos p. 99. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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