Digging deeperPlant Library

Brand:  Plant Select

Description:

A vigorous, densely leafed shrub that can be maintained as a groundcover or low hedge; very dainty pinkish-white flowers cover this fine selection in spring; does not like alkaline soils; prefers some protection from late afternoon sun

Ornamental Features

Chieftain Manzanita features dainty clusters of white bell-shaped flowers with shell pink overtones at the ends of the branches in late spring. It has dark green evergreen foliage which emerges red in spring. The oval leaves remain dark green throughout the winter. The fruits are showy red drupes displayed from early to mid fall.

Landscape Attributes

Chieftain Manzanita is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Chieftain Manzanita is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Chieftain Manzanita will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. You may want to keep it away from hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or which get reflected sunlight, such as against the south side of a white wall. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. This plant should be periodically fertilized throughout the active growing season with a specially-formulated acidic fertilizer. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have sandy, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.