Ceanothus arboreus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ceanothus arboreus |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Ceanothus
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| Species: |
arboreus
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| Natural range of Ceanothus arboreus | |
Ceanothus arboreus, often called feltleaf ceanothus, island ceanothus, or island mountain lilac, is a type of large shrub. It belongs to the Ceanothus plant family and grows naturally in California.
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Where It Grows
This special plant is endemic, meaning it grows only in a specific area. For Ceanothus arboreus, that area is the coastal part of southern California. You can find it mainly on three of the Channel Islands: Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island, and Santa Catalina Island.
It likes to grow on hillsides in areas called coastal sage scrub and chaparral. These are natural habitats with specific types of plants.
What It Looks Like
Ceanothus arboreus is a spreading bush that can grow quite tall, reaching about 3.5 to 11 meters (12 to 36 feet) high. It has big, shiny, dark green leaves. The underside of these leaves feels a bit like leather or soft felt.
One of its most striking features is its bright blue flowers. These showy blossoms grow in many large bunches called panicles. Each bunch is made up of many tiny flowers, each with five small lobes. Some types of this plant have light, powder blue flowers, while others have a darker blue color. They usually bloom from February to April.
After the flowers, the plant produces small fruits. These fruits are shaped like a triangle and have three distinct parts.
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Growing This Plant
Ceanothus arboreus is often grown as an ornamental plant in gardens. People like to use it in drought-tolerant gardens because it doesn't need much water. It's also great for wildlife gardens and natural landscaping projects.
Many animals enjoy this plant. Butterflies love to visit its flowers, and quail often eat its seeds. This makes it a good choice for attracting local wildlife to your garden.
Special Types of Ceanothus arboreus
Over time, people have chosen and grown different types of Ceanothus arboreus for gardens. These special types are called cultivars. Here are a few popular ones:
- Ceanothus arboreus 'Cliff Schmidt' — This type grows more compactly and has deeper blue flowers.
- Ceanothus arboreus 'Owlswood Blue'.
- Ceanothus arboreus 'Powder Blue' — Also known as Powder Blue Ceanothus or Compact Feltleaf Ceanothus.
- Ceanothus arboreus 'Skylark'.
- Ceanothus arboreus 'Trewithen Blue' — This variety comes from the Channel Islands and has very dark blue flowers. It has even won an award called the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
See also
In Spanish: Ceanothus arboreus para niños
