Chaparral whitethorn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chaparral whitethorn |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ceanothus
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| Species: |
leucodermis
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The Chaparral Whitethorn, also known as Ceanothus leucodermis, is a type of shrub that grows in the Rhamnaceae plant family. It gets its name "whitethorn" because of its light-colored bark and thorny branches. This plant is an important food source for several kinds of ungulates, which are animals with hooves. For example, mule deer and bighorn sheep love to munch on the new, soft shoots and leaves of the Chaparral Whitethorn. They usually avoid the older, spiny parts of the plant.
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Where Does Chaparral Whitethorn Grow?
This interesting shrub is native to California in the United States and Baja California in Mexico. It likes to grow in mountain areas, both near the coast and further inland. You can often find it in places like chaparral (a type of shrubland), coniferous forests (forests with cone-bearing trees), and oak woodlands.
What Does Chaparral Whitethorn Look Like?
The Chaparral Whitethorn is a thorny shrub that can grow quite tall, sometimes reaching up to 4 meters (about 13 feet) high.
Bark and Thorns
The bark of this shrub is usually gray-white and can feel a bit waxy. When the plant is young, its bark might even have some soft hairs. As the small branches, called twigs, get older, they become very hard and turn into sharp thorns.
Leaves
The leaves of the Chaparral Whitethorn stay green all year round. They are arranged one after another along the stem. Each leaf is oval-shaped and can be up to about 4 centimeters (about 1.5 inches) long. The edges of the leaves are either smooth or have tiny, gland-like teeth. A cool thing about these leaves is that they are covered with a delicate, white, powdery coating that you can actually rub off!
Flowers and Fruit
The flowers of the Chaparral Whitethorn grow in long clusters at the end of stalks. These beautiful flowers can be blue, lavender, or even white. After the flowers bloom, they produce a sticky, three-lobed fruit. This fruit is small, only about half a centimeter long. Unlike some other plants in the Ceanothus group, its fruits do not have horn-like shapes.
