Ceanothus Blue Jeans

Identification

Gallery

Description

Ceanothus 'Blue Jeans' is a six by six evergreen mountain lilac with holly-like leaves and lavender flowers. This hybrid Ceanothus needs full sun to retain its form and to produce the most flowers with intense lavender color. In the shade the form becomes weepy and the color of the flowers becomes a faded denim. It's a somewhat garden tolerant, good border hedge. Deer and cattle will eat this plant last (I don't know why but they will just walk through it without eating). One of the toughest of the hybrids. 'Blue Jeans' Ceanothus is tolerant to alkaline soil, and tolerates temperatures to at least 0 degrees F. It produces a colorful show of flowers every spring with no care, no water and no thought. This one's easy in all ways. Plant Ceanothus Snowball' in front of it, or around it to make a moundy or flowing two- color landscape where deer are present.

The myth of Ceanothus being short lived is primarily spread by incompetent gardeners that insist on using drip irrigation, applying summer water and soil amendments. Most California native plants hate all three. Expect a 20-25 year life span for most of the Ceanothus in most gardens.(Hedge, Hedge) Click here for more about California Lilacs (Ceanothus).

Frankia? Why do the roots of some of the Ceanothus look funny?