Ceanothus sonomensis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ceanothus sonomensis
Scientific classification
Genus:	Ceanothus
Species:	sonomensis

Ceanothus sonomensis, also known as the Sonoma ceanothus, is a special kind of shrub that grows only in northern California. It's quite rare and belongs to the Rhamnaceae family, which includes many flowering plants. This plant is endemic to a small area, meaning it's found naturally nowhere else in the world.

What is Sonoma Ceanothus Like?

This Sonoma ceanothus plant usually grows straight up and can reach about one meter (which is about 3 feet) tall. Its leaves are always green and grow in pairs on opposite sides of the stem. Each leaf is shaped like an oval or is rounded, and it has spiny teeth along its edges, making it a bit prickly. The top side of the leaves is shiny green, while the underside is lighter in color and feels a bit fuzzy.

When it blooms, the Sonoma ceanothus has small groups of pretty blue or lavender flowers. After the flowers, it produces a fruit that looks like a ridged, horned capsule, about half a centimeter (less than an inch) long.

Where Does Sonoma Ceanothus Grow?

The Sonoma ceanothus is found only in the Hood Mountain Range in California. Most of the places where it grows are in Sonoma County, but there is also one spot in Napa County.

This plant is part of the chaparral plant community. Chaparral is a type of natural area with tough, drought-resistant shrubs and small trees. The Sonoma ceanothus lives in the California montane chaparral and woodlands sub-ecoregion, which is a specific type of environment found in the mountains of California.