Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rhamnaceae

Genus:

Ceanothus

Species:

Ceanothus × humboldtensis

Growth Characteristics

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

100 cm

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

white, pale blue

Evergreen Shrub:

Yes

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Requires fire for germination

Fire Notes:

Seeds germinated by heat/smoke exposure typical of wildfire. Plants resprout vigorously from crown after fire, and seed germination is stimulated by fire-related cues.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Scarification or brief hot water treatment improves germination. Seeds have hard coats and benefit from heat or mechanical scarification followed by cold-moist stratification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI