Island Manzanita: Flower and Apple

Arctostaphylos insularis
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Arctostaphylos
Species: A. insularis

Island manzanita is endemic to Santa Cruz Island of Channel Islands of California.
In late December of 2014, I was commissioned to do 2 series of pen and ink drawings of native plants on Channel Islands. During the 2 month span of the first project, the island manzanita trees in the Channel Islands Native Garden changed a few phases already: budding, flowering, bearing apples. The young apples have this refreshing green that is hard to replicate. The bell shape flowers are white under a coat of peachy pink hue. It was a delight to just look at the rich colors shown on such a little branch.

A closeup of the flowers and apples:

Manzanita was widely used by Chumash Indians. In a very interesting book Living Wild written by Alicia Funk and Karin Kaufman, the two ladies introduce a few ways to enjoy manzanita: manzanita blossom jelly, manzanita crackers, manzanita muffins...etc. I haven't had a chance to try the recipes, but it's definitely on my bucket list to experiment in a near future!

Alicia Funk's The Living Wild Project website: www.livingwild.org
You can find their book Living Wild online or try with your local botanic garden. I found my copy at the gift shop of Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

About this artwork:
Original size: 4"x 6"
Paper: Fabriano Hot Press 140 Lb
Colored pencils: Faber-Castell and Caran d'Ache

May The Bb Power Be With You,
Ellie

Ceanothus gloriosus

Ceanothus gloriosus J.T Howell
Family: Rhamnaceae
Genus: Ceanothus
Species: C. gloriosus

A quick sketch with ink pen and watercolor.
Ceanothus gloriosus is endemic to California. Some people call the genus California Lilac. Generally they are 0.5 to 3 meters tall and burst crazily with white or purplish blue clusters of flowers in spring.

This may be the last ceanothus blossom of this year at the native plant garden of Channel Island National Park. When spring comes, there are so many flowers to draw and to paint! But this year I'm very distracted and couldn't spend too much time to study the ceanothus bushes in the CINP garden. I will have to wait for another 11 months to see the striking blue blooming again.

The most interesting part of the this ceanothus is the color of the flower. It's a purplish blue and kind of tricky to capture it right.

May The Bb Power Be With You,
Ellie