Emerald Carpet Manzanita

If you live in a southwestern or western state that is prone to drought (and which ones aren't anymore?) then you might want to check and see if your local water district will actually pay you to get rid of your front lawn! Some places, like Las Vegas and Los Angeles, pay about $1.50 per square foot of grass replaced. It's worth looking into!

But what do you replace it with? Here is a good place to start - the Emerald Carpet Manzanita (Arctostaphylos 'Emerald Carpet')! This low-growing, heat-loving, water-wise little groundcover shrub will make your reclaimed yard look fantastic!

The tiny dark-green broadleaf evergreen foliage acts as a rich lawn alternative, and makes your yard look lush all year long! Even though the foliage and great branching structure are the stars of the show! It adds a little flair every year with a spring flush of snowy-white, bell-shaped flowers with many little butterflies and bees that will arrive to also enjoy the show.

Hardy throughout USDA planting zones 6 to 9, these fantastic low-growing shrubs just grow 8 to 14 inches tall but can spread to 4-6 feet wide! Xeric and not particularly bothered by deer or rabbits, but these low-growing shrubs shelter birds and wildlife all year round!

Planting and Application:

If you don't want to replace your whole lawn, Emerald Carpet works great as a buffer between the existing lawn and other hedges. Try using it in front of a hedge of taller Manzanitas for a fresh look, hiding the bare leggy stems of larger, older stems as a facer shrub.

It is perfect for foundation plantings and fills the hell strip between your sidewalk and street in year-round greenery, too! In other locations, groundcover Manzanita are utilitarian greenery on hard-to-mow hillsides, or for slowing erosion on steep slopes and creeping over the tops of retaining walls.

• White, Bell-Shaped Blooms
• Glossy Green Evergreen Foliage
• Tough Water-Wise Plant
• Hardy Lawn Replacement
• Great as a Groundcover, Facer Shrub, En Masse & Erosion Control

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Arctostaphylos need full sun and handle some partial shade in your landscape. Bear in mind, that Manzanita will tolerate clay and poor soil, but it prefers rich, well-draining soils. In infertile soil, it will get a yellowish cast. Water it just enough to establish, and then grow it dryer, providing supplemental moisture during prolonged drought and heat. Provide 3-4 inches of arborist mulch to hold in soil moisture more consistently and insulate the roots. Prune after the flowers fade to keep these smaller if needed.

• Full Sun & Partial Shade
• Any Well-Drained Soil
• Drought Tolerant Once Established
• Prune After Flowering
• Salt, Deer, & Rabbit Resistant

Give Emerald Carpet Manzanita a try. We know that you'll love the look of your landscape. Order yours today from Nature Hills and save money in the long run with water-wise plants!