Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, Blueblossom flowers
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Rhamnaceae
Genus:	Ceanothus
Species:	C. thyrsiflorus
Binomial name
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, Blueblossom or Blue blossom ceanothus, is an evergreen plant in the genus Ceanothus and endemic to California.

Description

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

White form

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus can grow more than 6 meters-20 feet tall in its native chaparral habitat. Flowers vary from different shades of blue to close to white. There are different varieties:

• 'Blue Mound' which can grow to 1.5 meters (5 ft) tall,
• 'Cascade' which may reach 8 meters (25 ft) of height,
• Repens which stays as a shrub around 1-3 meters (3-10 feet) tall.

Cultivation

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus has been used in gardens extensively, being widely grown in the horticulture trade for decades. It is popular with birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Popular garden varieties and cultivars of Ceanothus thyrsiflorus include:

• "Skylark", a tall type with blue flowers;
• "Snow Flurry", of equal height and spread with white flowers;
• "Repens Victoria", forming a sturdy evergreen mound and most useful groundcover with powder blue flowers.

Breeders of garden plants have also produce variegated types of this plant, the most noticeable being:

• "El Dorado" with gold edge foliage and powder blue flowers.

See also

• California chaparral and woodlands
• California montane chaparral and woodlands
• California native plants