Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest and in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; British Columbia to California.
Habitat: Dry forest openings and rocky slopes, mostly at low elevations.
Flowers: May-July
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, flies, hummingbirds
Erect or spreading shrubs 1-3 m. tall, simple at the base, the old branches with purplish-red bark; young twigs grayish-pubescent, also with scattered bristles which may be glandular.
Leaves alternate, ovate or lanceolate to elliptic, the blades 2-5 cm. long and 1-2.5 cm. broad, pointed, finely grayish-puberulent, the petioles 5 cm. long.
Inflorescence usually paniculate, densely pubescent, each flower subtended by a lanceolate bract 5-15 mm. long, exceeding the pedicels; flowers white or pinkish, 6-7 mm. long; corolla urn-shaped, the 5 short lobes spreading; stamens 10, the anthers opening by false terminal pores, each with 2 curved, reflexed, horn-like appendages; ovary superior, pubescent.
Fruit a berry, depressed, 6-8 mm. broad.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Arctostaphylos columbiana in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Arctostaphylos columbiana checklist entry
OregonFlora: Arctostaphylos columbiana information
E-Flora BC: Arctostaphylos columbiana atlas page
CalPhotos: Arctostaphylos columbiana photos