Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rhamnaceae

Genus:

Ceanothus

Species:

Ceanothus × veitchianus

USDA Symbol:

CEVE4

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

300 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

blue, violet

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

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

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown after fire. Parent species (C. rigidus and C. thyrsiflorus) are adapted to periodic fire regimes in California chaparral and coastal scrub.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, sandy or rocky soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to coastal regions, prefers dry conditions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Hot water treatment or smoke exposure may improve germination. Seeds may benefit from abrasion of the hard seed coat.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI