Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rhamnaceae

Genus:

Ceanothus

Species:

Ceanothus megacarpus var. megacarpus

Growth Characteristics

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

300 cm

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

jan,feb,mar,apr

Bloom Colors:

white

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 require heat or smoke for germination, typical of California chaparral species. Plants resprout vigorously from crown after fire and exhibit enhanced flowering in post-fire years.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Seeds benefit from hot water treatment or scarification followed by cold stratification. Smoke treatment may enhance germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI