Ceanothus spinosus

Identification

Gallery

Description

Ceanothus spinosus is a very beautiful hillside shrub that grows in seasonally wet heavy clay slopes. It wants north slope conditions that stay relatively cool, yet Ceanothus spinosus does not like deep and hard frosts. In the conventional garden it is very susceptible to pathogens, disfigurement by frost, wind damage, and root rots. In a native garden, with NO drip irrigation, NO added soil amendments, and NO summer watering, the plants will tolerate all sorts of problems and survive, if not thrive, for decades. In beach sand they get a little yellow, but the flowers are still good; in heavy adobe or near sodic soils the plants are spectacular, filling canyons with fragrance and blue. If you have a background spot that is a cool slope in a USDA 8 -10, (Sunset 14-23) with no summer water, and good drainage, but heavy soil, this plant is for you! McMinn The evergreen shining foliage and arborescent habit of growth make this species desirable for planting in large estates where a mass effect is desired. Click here for more about California Lilacs (Ceanothus). Why do the roots of some of the Ceanothus look funny?