Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rhamnaceae

Genus:

Ceanothus

Species:

Ceanothus perplexans

Growth Characteristics

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

200 cm

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may

Bloom Colors:

blue, 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, hummingbirds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Requires fire for germination

Fire Notes:

Obligate seeder that requires fire for seed germination. Seeds remain viable in soil seed bank for decades and germinate en masse after fire with heat and smoke 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 followed by cold stratification improves germination. Some seeds may benefit from smoke treatment or heat shock to simulate fire conditions.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI