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Ceanothus perplexans is an evergreen shrub that typically grows 1 to 3 meters tall with spreading, intricately branched stems. Its leaves are a defining characteristic: small, thick, leathery, and oppositely arranged, with distinct cupped leaves that give the plant its common name. In spring, it produces clusters of white or pale blue flowers. [2]
Ceanothus is a good source of nutrition for deer, specifically mule deer along the West Coast of the United States. However, the leaves are not as nutritious from late spring to early fall as they are in early spring. Porcupines and quail have also been seen eating stems and seeds of these shrubs.
The flowers are about 2 mm across [4] and white, borne in thick clusters emanating from the leaf axils, [2] particularly on the older stems. [4] They all open at once, so the plant is covered with bloom. This usually happens in June or July, but may be any time from April to October according to the altitude and weather.
This plant has a growth habit described as ascending to erect and may attain height. The plant's preferred habitat is on shrub-covered, rocky, volcanic slopes. The hermaphrodite blue or purple flowers bloom in April and May.
Ceanothus cuneatus is a spreading bush, rounded to sprawling, reaching up to 3 meters (9.8 ft) in height. The evergreen leaves are stiff and somewhat tough and may be slightly toothed along the edges. The bush flowers abundantly in short, thick-stalked racemes bearing rounded bunches of tiny flowers, each about half a centimeter wide.
The Ceanothus foliosus shrub may be tall and erect but is generally under two meters in height; it may also be low-lying and sprawling. It has sparse small evergreen leaves only one to two centimeters in length and toothed along the edges with glandular knobs.
Planted in autumn to give a display until early spring, the plants used for winter bedding are mainly hardy perennials. Spring flowering bulbs (tulip, narcissus, hyacinth, etc.) are also planted in the fall. Winter-hardy ornamental vegetables such as cultivars of kale and cabbage with coloured or variegated foliage are increasingly common.
Ceanothus ferrisiae is endemic to Santa Clara County, California, where it is known from only four or five occurrences near Mt. Hamilton in the Diablo Range. [2] The largest population, located near Anderson Dam, is recovering from a 1992 wildfire that killed 95% of the plants. [3]