Ceanothus hearstiorum

Common Name:
Wild lilac
Plant Type:
Evergreen shrub
Family:
Rhamnaceae (The Buckthorn Family)
Geographic Origin:
California
California Native?:
Yes

Plant Size:
3-6 inches high by 6 feet wide
Landscape/Garden Uses:
ground cover
Flowering Season:
Spring

Flower Color:
Bright blue
Exposure:
Full sun
Soils:
Well-drained soil

Suggested Irrigation:
Occasional to no watering
Estimated Hardiness:
Hardy to 15 degrees F. or less

Found only in the area of the Hearst Ranch on the central California coast, this is quite different than most ceanothus in habit--it lies absolutely flat on the ground, spreading symmetrically to a diameter of 6 feet or more. The leaves are dark green, narrow and somewhat puckered in surface, with a resinous fragrance. It is one of the neatest of the ceanothus for ground cover, though possibly not tolerant of much summer heat (results have been mixed).