Ceanothus impressus 'Puget Blue'

Common Name:
Santa Barbara ceanothus
Plant Type:
Evergreen shrub
Family:
Rhamnaceae (The Buckthorn Family)
Geographic Origin:
California
California Native?:
Yes

Plant Size:
6-8 feet high
Landscape/Garden Uses:
Mixed plantings
Flowering Season:
Spring

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

Suggested Irrigation:
Occasional to no watering
Estimated Hardiness:
Hardy to 10 degrees F. or less

Ceanothus impressus is an extremely variable species, with sturdy, closely branched main trunks and stiff but slender, often reddish stems. These are thickly clad with crinkled, deep green leaves, usually a half inch long or less. 'Puget Blue' is an an older selection, once assigned to this species but possibly a hybrid. It has been grown successfully in the Northwest and is considered one of the hardiest and most garden tolerant of the "warty-leaved" ceanothus, with attractively arching branches and clouds of bright lavender-blue flowers in short dense clusters.