Ceanothus cuneatus

Identification

Gallery

Description

Buckbrush or Wedgeleaf Ceanothus is a fragrant evergreen shrub, flowers vary from blue to white, in Mar-May. Native from Oregon to Baja in the coast ranges and Sierra Nevada mountains. Likes full sun and fast drainage. Use as an open screen (8') or as a small tree. It can have heavy scent when in flower (Plum blossoms mixed with roses). This plant is very, very drought tolerant. It was planted in a job in Taft (Shadscale Scrub), watered once, and left in full sun, for 3 summer months and 3 of 10 survived (Saltbush (Atriplex lentiformis) died on the site)! This Ceanothus is also deer proof, and cold tolerant to at least 0 degrees F. It is usually growing with oaks, pines and Adenostoma fasciculatum. I've seen this species in a variety of soils. Ceanothus is a secondary pioneer plant after fires. The best germination I've seen after a fire was on a site down the road from us in heavy clay that was turned into fired brick after the 1985 Las Pilitas Fire. The stumps were not even left as bumps, the rocks on the surface were cracked, and there was no ash. The seedlings were every 1/2" covering a 20-30' area. We have heard that when fire occurs, all the seeds are burnt up, and that is one of the reasons why the agencies in California promote seeding (alien grasses) after fires but Ceanothus cuneatus did not receive that news bulletin! Tough plants! Native on the nursery site. A good understory plant to grow in the shade of Ceanothus cuneatus, with mulch of Ceanothus leaves and twigs, is Viola pedunculata. Good companion plants for Ceanothus cuneatus are Pinus sabiniana and Quercus douglasii. Click here for more about Mountain Lilacs.