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manzanita

American  
[man-zuh-nee-tuh] / ˌmæn zəˈni tə /

noun

  • manzanitas
    plural
  1. any of several western North American shrubs or small trees belonging to the genus Arctostaphylos, of the heath family, having leathery leaves and clusters of white to pink flowers.

  2. the fruit of one of these shrubs.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of manzanita

1840–50, < Spanish, diminutive of manzana apple; see manchineel

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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They include the Santa Rosa Island manzanita and soft-leaved paintbrush, according to the park service.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 10, 2026

Hikers can see California buckwheat, arroyo willow, black sage, big berry manzanita and hairy ceanothus.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 8, 2024

On the slopes, manzanita bushes and blades of grass were poking through patches of what little snow had landed.

From New York Times Dec. 28, 2023

Clusters of blushing white bell-like blossoms appear on the manzanita in winter, followed by summer fruit that nourishes resident birds.

From Seattle Times Oct. 7, 2023

In the afternoon heat they snooze in the dusty dirt beneath that tangle of manzanita trees.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

Acres of terraced growing areas and multiple greenhouses produced many native plants grown from seed collected around the park such as sumacs, ceanothus, yellow-blooming flannel bush, manzanitas, barberries, monkeyflowers, Catalina cherry, toyon and coffeeberry.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 26, 2024

For instance, Odell loved the manzanitas that grow prolifically around his family’s 40-acre ranch in Shasta County.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 30, 2024

Bohl and her husband removed the lawn and laid 2 inches of river rock approximately 3/4 to 1-inch wide, planting with agaves, manzanitas and yuccas.

From Seattle Times Apr. 12, 2024

They had protected a swath of homes tucked deep into stands of pines, sycamores and manzanitas, but they were exhausted.

From New York Times Sep. 27, 2015

The gorges and summits of these mountains are timbered with largo pines, firs, and cedars, with a smaller growth of magnolias, manzanitas, hawthorns, etc., etc.

From What I Saw in California by Edwin Bryant

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