Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rhamnaceae

Genus:

Ceanothus

Species:

Ceanothus foliosus var. medius

Growth Characteristics

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

150 cm

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may

Bloom Colors:

blue, violet

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, native pollinators

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Requires fire for germination

Fire Notes:

Seeds require heat or smoke for germination. Plants resprout vigorously from root crown after fire. Fire return interval of 30-80 years typical in natural range.

Source: Claude claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929 Batch

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist then warm stratification (double dormancy) — 30–90 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Seeds require hot water treatment or scarification followed by cold stratification. Smoke treatment may improve germination rates.

Source: Claude claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929 Batch