Ceanothus arboreus

Feltleaf ceanothus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rhamnaceae
Genus: Ceanothus
Species: C. arboreus
Binomial name
Ceanothus arboreus
Natural range of Ceanothus arboreus

Ceanothus arboreus, with the common names feltleaf ceanothus, island ceanothus, and island mountain lilac, is a species of Ceanothus shrub in California. [2][3]

Distribution

The plant is endemic to coastal southern California, primarily on three of the Channel Islands: Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island, and Santa Catalina Island.[2][4]

It is found on slopes in coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitats.[2]

Description

Ceanothus arboreus is a spreading bush growing up to 12–36 feet (3.7–11.0 m) in height.[4] It has large, glossy, dark green leaves which are leathery or felt-like on their undersides.[4]

Its showy bright blue flowers grow in plentiful panicles, or bunches, of tiny five-lobed blossoms.[4] Some varieties and cultivars have light, powder blue blooms, and others bear darker blue flowers. The bloom period is February to April.[2]

The fruits are three-lobed, triangular capsules.[4]

Ceanothus arboreus at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden in the Berkeley Hills, California.

Cultivation

'Ceanothus arboreus is cultivated as an ornamental plant for use in drought tolerant and wildlife gardens and natural landscaping projects.[5][6] Butterflies like the flowers and the quail eat the seeds.[5]

Cultivars

Numerous cultivars have been selected for garden use, including:

  • Ceanothus arboreus 'Cliff Schmidt' — more compact habit and deeper blue flowers.[7]
  • Ceanothus arboreus 'Owlswood Blue'.[8]
  • Ceanothus arboreus 'Powder Blue' — Powder Blue Ceanothus, Compact Feltleaf Ceanothus.[9][10][11]
  • Ceanothus arboreus 'Skylark'
  • Ceanothus arboreus 'Trewithen Blue' — very dark blue flowered form from the Channel Islands.[12] It has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[13]

See also

  • Endemic flora of California
  • Natural history of the Channel Islands of California
  • Flora of the California chaparral and woodlands

References

  1. ↑ C. arboreus was first described and published in Bulletin of the California Academy of Sciences, 2(6): 144. 1886. "Plant Name Details for Ceanothus arboreus". IPNI. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Calflora: Ceanothus arboreus
  3. ↑ GRIN-Global Web v 1.9.6.2: taxonomy of Ceanothus arboreus
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Jepson eFlora: Ceanothus arboreus
  5. 1 2 Las Pilitas Nursery Horticultural Database: Ceanothus arboreus (Tree Lilac, Island Mt. Lilac)
  6. ↑ Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Information Network−NPIN: Ceanothus arboreus (Feltleaf ceanothus, Island ceanothus, Island mountain lilac)
  7. ↑ Buena Nursery native plants database: Ceanothus arboreus 'Cliff Schmidt'
  8. ↑ Las Pilitas Nursery Horticultural Database: Southern California Lilacs, Ceanothus spp. and cultivars.
  9. ↑ San Marcos Growers Horticulture Database: Ceanothus arboreus 'Powder Blue'
  10. ↑ The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.org: Ceanothus 'Powder Blue' — with images.
  11. ↑ Yerba Buena Nursery native plants database: Ceanothus arboreus 'Powder Blue'
  12. ↑ Yerba Buena Nursery native plants database: Ceanothus arboreus 'Trewithen Blue'
  13. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Ceanothus arboreus 'Trewithen Blue'". Retrieved 26 June 2013.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.