Ceanothus prostratus

Identification

Gallery

Description

Ceanothus prostratus var. occidentalis, or Squaw Carpet, is an evergreen ground cover that grows on open slopes. and under Douglas Firs, Jeffrey or Ponderosa pines from near sea level to 7000+' elevation. Prostrate Ceanothus is an excellent ground cover where it stays mild all year or you know you will have snow on the ground from December to March. On winter exposed sites ( below 0 degrees F) it will give you problems in inland summer heat and it will give you problems in full afternoon sun. In its range the summers do not get much above 80 degrees F., ever, and the soil is fairly dry from July to December. Ceanothus prostratus will take some summer water and can tolerate garden conditions fairly well, as long as it's kept cool in the afternoon. If you have a mountain cabin or a house in San Francisco you'd like to look like a mountain cabin, this is one of the plants you should be looking for.
We have a couple planted next to one of the greenhouses where it gets almost full sun, just a little late afternoon protection, and it is growing fine. It's mounding about one foot tall.

Click here for more about California Lilacs (Ceanothus).
Why do the roots of some of the Ceanothus look funny?