Manzanita Hedgerow

We’re spotlighting the manzanita hedgerow! Each month we profile a different plant that is an integral part of our home Biodynamic ranch ecology at Frey Vineyards. Grapes are at the heart of our farm, but we also have a surrounding biodiversity reserve. Between the wildlands and the grape vines, we have transitional hedgerow zones.

February’s Herbal Highlight from the hedgerows is Manzanita. In December our herbal highlight from the hedgerows was Madrone, which is a close but distinct relative of Manzanita. Both are fabulous native plants, but where Madrones tower above as large trees, the species manzanita comprises around 100 different kinds of shorter trees and shrubs.

So named for the little apple-looking fruits or “Manzanitas” that the bushes produce, we decided to showcase this highlight right now because it’s one of the few fantastic plants that flowers in Winter. With little waxy flowers that are shaped to protect the sexual organs of the plant, the Manzanita hedgerow attracts pollinators at a difficult time of the year.

While most pollen is readily available for bees to access, in the manzanita, the chances of rain washing away the pollen during California’s winters are so high that the plant has evolved to cover up, concealing its sexual parts from the elements. For pollination to occur, a bee has to come and instead of using its muscles to fly, it uses its muscles to vibrate the flower until the manzanita releases its pollen to the bee. This “buzz pollination” often resonates in the key of Middle C!

Native Americans in the areas where manzanitas proliferate use the fruits of the manzanita to make hard cider. Among other foods, they produce wild jelly from the fresh fruits. A tea made from the astringent leaves or bark has been used to treat sores, and to assuage headaches or indigestion. Manzanitas are often growing near poison oak, and manzanita tea is often used as a very effective external treatment for drying out poison oak rashes.

If you take a nature hike this Winter, be sure to pause and appreciate the amazing Manzanita blooms during the height of the coldest season of the year!

This blog post is part of our Biodynamic Education Hedgerow series. Tune in every month to learn about the plants around the Frey Ranch. You can also visit our YouTube channel to see a video for each plant!