Bees feast on manzanita throughout Anza Valley

The canyons and chaparral habitats in the Anza Valley have been alive with the buzz of bees pollinating manzanita shrubs as they bloom during January and February. There are about 43 different species of manzanita found in California. The name “manzanita” is derived from the Spanish phrase, ‘little apple.’ Manzanita berries do resemble tiny versions of the fruit. Described as a large shrub, manzanita are well adapted to specific habitats that they grow together in groups called manzanita barrens. The bright green to bluish gray or gray green, thick, leathery leaves and mahogany-toned and gray trunks are unmistakable, along with the honey-like scent and bunches of thick, waxy, white to pink, urn-shaped flo