Ceanothus: California Wild Lilac
We love Ceanothus! Blue spring flowers buzzing with bees, evergreen leaves and easy care make it one of our favorites. What makes it even better is that Ceanothus doesn't grow just anywhere.
Plant care & info
Family: Rhamnaceae
Genus: Ceanothus (see-uh-NO-thus)
Common: California Wild Lilac, Wild Lilac, Mountain Lilac, Blue Blossom
From Canada, south to Mexico & Guatemala – also some in the Rocky Mountains & eastern US. About 30 species are from California & some grow in southern Oregon.
Around 50 species of evergreen & deciduous shrubs & small trees. Small flowers in clusters are often scented and attract bees. Flowers are white, pink or several shades of blue, and come in mid spring. Three-lobed seed capsules follow. Leaves are small with serrated edges and can be crinkled or holly-shaped. They are mostly green, with some varieties having gold or white variegation and others tinged purple.
All Ceanothus are nitrogen fixing plants & improve soils where they are grown. In the wild they’re often the first plants to grow after a fire and they fill in quickly, but are often short-lived (5-20 years).
Varies by species & cultivar.
Ceanothus adapts to a wide range of soil types, but prefers to be dry or have excellent drainage in summer. Plants in very rich garden soil grow fast but are shorter lived.
Full sun to part shade – hardiness varies – most are Zone 7-8, 0-20f.
Short life-span. Limiting summer water for plants growing in the ground (opposed to container-grown plants) & limiting fertilizer will help. We still think they’re wonderful & totally worth it!
Bees love Ceanothus flowers. For many this is a good thing, but for those with allergies it can be a problem.
What makes it even better is that Ceanothus doesn’t grow just anywhere. We in Portland are fortunate to live in one of the blessed places where Ceanothus will thrive. The West Coast from British Columbia to California has temperatures that are low enough in summer and mild enough in winter to support this plant, and indeed most species of Ceanothus originate in California and southwest Oregon.
There are so many types of Ceanothus we can’t come close to listing them all, but here is a sampling of varieties we commonly carry at Portland Nursery. (You can also find many native Ceanothus).
