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Overview
Ceanothus arboreus illustrating the three parallel leaf veins characteristic of plants in this genus
The majority of the species are evergreen, but the handful of species adapted to cold winters are deciduous. The leaves are opposite or alternate (depending on species), small (typically 15 cm long), simple, and mostly with serrated margins.
Ceanothus species are easily identified by their unique leaf-vein structure shared by all plants within this genus. The leaves have three very prominent parallel veins extending from the leaf base to the outer margins of the leaf tips and the leaves are ovate in shape. The leaves have a shiny upper surface that feels “gummy” when pinched between the thumb and forefinger, and the roots of most species have red inner root bark.
Flower of Ceanothus fendler , auto lifts .
The flowers are white, greenish-white, blue, pale purple or pink, maturing into a dry, three-lobed seed capsule , scissors lifts .
The flowers are tiny and produced in large, dense clusters that are reported to be intensely fragant almost to the point of being nauseating, and are said to resemble the odor of “boiling honey in an enclosed area”. The seeds of this plant can lie dormant for hundreds of years, and Ceanothus species are typically dependent on forest fires to trigger germination of its seeds.
Ecology
Several members of this genus, including Ceanothus americanus, form a symbiotic relationship with soil micro-organisms, forming root nodules which fix atmospheric nitrogen. This nitrogen is available to other adjacent plants, and may play an important role in forest regeneration as it creates nutrient-rich patches in forest habitats.
Ceanothus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the bucculatricid leaf-miners Bucculatrix anaticula and Bucculatrix ceanothiella and the gelechiid Chionodes ceanothiella which all feed exclusively on the genus. Chionodes occidentella is a polyphagous species which has been recorded on Ceanothus. Ceanothus is also a good source of nutrition for deer, specifically mule deer on the west coast. However, the leaves are not as nutritious from late spring to early fall as they are in early spring. Porcupines and quail have also been seen eating stems and seeds of these shrubs. The leaves are a good source of protein and the stems and leaves have been found to contain a high amount of calcium.
Distribution
Ceanothus americanus (fruit left, flowers right)
Plants in this genus are widely distributed and can be found on dry, sunny hillsides from coastal scrub lands to open forest clearings up to 9,000 feet. These plants are profusely distributed throughout the Rocky Mountains from British Columbia south through Colorado, the Cascades of Oregon and California, and the Coastal Ranges of California.
Ceanothus velutinus is the most common member of this genus and is widespread throughout North America.
Uses
Flowers of Ceanothus cuneatus, at Pinnacles National Monument, California
Many species are popular garden ornamental plants, and dozens of hybrids and cultivars have been selected, such as Flexible Ceanothus, Ceanothus flexilis Greene ex McMinn (C. cuneatus C. prostratus).
Ceanothus velutinus was known as “red root” by many Native American tribes due to the color of the inner root bark, and was used as a medicine for treating lymphatic disorders, ovarian cysts, fibroid tumors, and tonsillitis. Clinical studies of the alkaloid compounds in Ceanothus velutinus has verified its effectiveness in treating high blood pressure and lymphatic blockages.
Native Americans used the dried leaves of this plant as a herbal tea, and early pioneers used the plant as a substitute for black tea. Miwok Indians of California made baskets from Ceanothus branches. C. integerrimus has been used by North American tribes to ease childbirth. Ceanothus velutinus has been demonstrated to be very effective in relieving inflammation and irritation from infections of the mouth and throat.
Propagation
Propagation of Ceanothus is by seed, following scarification and stratification. Seeds are soaked in water for 12 hours followed by chilling at 1 C for one to three months. It can also sprout from roots and/or stems. Seeds are stored in duff in large quantities. It is estimated that there are about two million seeds per acre in forest habitats. Seed are dispersed propulsively from capsules and, it has been estimated, can remain viable for hundreds of years. In habitat, the seeds of plants in this genus only germinate in response to range fires and forest fires.
Names
California Lilac (Ceanothus integerrimus) in Yosemite, 2005
The Californian species are sometimes known as California Lilac, but not surprisingly, the species found elsewhere have other common names, such as New Jersey Tea for C. americanus (as its leaves were used as a black tea substitute during colonial times). In garden use, most are simply called by their scientific names or an adaptation of the scientific name, such as Maritime Ceanothus for C. maritimus.
“Ceanothus” (four syllables, accented on the “o”) was the name of a spiny Old World plant whose identity is now obscure.
Selected species
Ceanothus americanus L. - New Jersey Tea; Red Root
Ceanothus arboreus Greene - Feltleaf Ceanothus
Ceanothus confusus J.T. Howell - Rincon Ridge Ceanothus
Ceanothus connivens Greene - Trailing Buckbrush
Ceanothus cordulatus Kellogg - Whitethorn Ceanothus
Ceanothus crassifolius Torr. - Hoaryleaf Ceanothus
Ceanothus cuneatus (Hook.) Nutt. - Buckbrush
Ceanothus cuneatus var. fascicularis (McMinn) - Hoover Sedgeleaf Buckbrush
Ceanothus cuneatus var. rigidus (Nutt.) Hoover - Monterey Ceanothus
Ceanothus cyaneus Eastw. - San Diego Buckbrush
Ceanothus dentatus Torr. & Gray - Sandscrub Ceanothus
Ceanothus divergens Parry - Calistoga Ceanothus
Ceanothus diversifolius Kellogg - Pinemat
Ceanothus fendleri Gray - Fendler’s Ceanothus
Ceanothus ferrisiae McMinn - Coyote Ceanothus
Ceanothus foliosus Parry - Wavyleaf Ceanothus
Ceanothus foliosus var. foliosus - Wavyleaf Ceanothus
Ceanothus foliosus var. medius McMinn - Wavyleaf Ceanothus
Ceanothus foliosus var. vineatus McMinn - Vine Hill Ceanothus
Ceanothus fresnensis Dudley ex Abrams - Fresno Ceanothus
Ceanothus gloriosus J.T. Howell - Point Reyes Ceanothus
Ceanothus gloriosus var. exaltatus J.T. Howell - Point Reyes Ceanothus
Ceanothus gloriosus var. gloriosus - Point Reyes Ceanothus
Ceanothus gloriosus var. porrectus J.T. Howell - Mt. Vision Ceanothus
Ceanothus greggii Gray - Desert Ceanothus
Ceanothus greggii var. greggii - Desert Ceanothus
Ceanothus greggii var. perplexans (Trel.) Jepson - Desert Ceanothus
Ceanothus greggii var. vestitus (Greene) McMinn - Mojave Ceanothus
Ceanothus griseus (Trel. ex B.L. Robins.) McMinn - Carmel Ceanothus
Ceanothus hearstiorum Hoover & J.B. Roof - Hearst Ranch Buckbrush
Ceanothus herbaceus Raf. - Jersey Tea
Ceanothus impressus Trel. - Santa Barbara Ceanothus
Ceanothus impressus var. impressus - Santa Barbara Ceanothus
Ceanothus impressus var. nipomensis McMinn - Santa Barbara Ceanothus
Ceanothus incanus Torr. & Gray - Coast Whitethorn
Ceanothus integerrimus Hook. & Arn. - Deerbrush Ceanothus
Ceanothus jepsonii Greene - Jepson Ceanothus
Ceanothus jepsonii var. albiflorus J.T. Howell - Jepson Ceanothus
Ceanothus jepsonii var. jepsonii - Jepson Ceanothus
Ceanothus lemmonii Parry - Lemmon’s Ceanothus
Ceanothus leucodermis Greene - Chaparral Whitethorn
Ceanothus maritimus Hoover - Maritime Ceanothus
Ceanothus martinii M.E. Jones - Martin’s Ceanothus
Ceanothus masonii McMinn - Mason’s Ceanothus
Ceanothus megacarpus Nutt. - Bigpod Ceanothus
Ceanothus megacarpus var. insularis (Eastw.) Munz - Island Ceanothus
Ceanothus megacarpus var. megacarpus - Bigpod Ceanothus
Ceanothus microphyllus Michx. - Littleleaf Buckbrush
Ceanothus oliganthus Nutt. - Hairy Ceanothus
Ceanothus ophiochilus Boyd, Ross & Arnseth - Vail Lake Ceanothus
Ceanothus palmeri Trel. - Palmer Ceanothus
Ceanothus papillosus Torr. & Gray - Wartleaf Ceanothus
Ceanothus papillosus var. papillosus - Wartleaf Ceanothus
Ceanothus papillosus var. roweanus McMinn - Wartleaf Ceanothus
Ceanothus parryi Trel. - Parry Ceanothus
Ceanothus parvifolius (S. Wats.) Trel. - Littleleaf Ceanothus
Ceanothus pinetorum Coville - Coville Ceanothus
Ceanothus prostratus Benth. - Prostrate Ceanothus
Ceanothus pumilus Greene - Dwarf Ceanothus
Ceanothus purpureus Jepson - Hollyleaf Ceanothus
Ceanothus roderickii Knight - Pine Hill Buckbrush
Ceanothus sanguineus Pursh - Redstem Ceanothus
Ceanothus serpyllifolius Nutt. - Coastal Plain Buckbrush
Ceanothus sonomensis J.T. Howell - Sonoma Ceanothus
Ceanothus sorediatus Hook. & Arn. - Jimbrush Ceanothus
Ceanothus spinosus Green Bark Ceanothus
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus Eschsch. - Blueblossom
Ceanothus tomentosus Parry - Woolyleaf Ceanothus
Ceanothus velutinus Dougl. ex Hook. - Snowbrush Ceanothus
Ceanothus velutinus var. hookeri M.C. Johnston - Hooker’s Ceanothus
Ceanothus velutinus var. velutinus - Snowbrush Ceanothus
Ceanothus verrucosus Nutt. - Barranca Brush
See also
California montane chaparral
References
^ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606607
^ a b c d Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West, Gregory…
