Ceanothus confusus

Rincon ridge ceanothus, Rincon Ridge Ceanothus

Family: Rhamnaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Rincon ridge ceanothus is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native shrub found in southern North Coast Ranges in Lake, Napa, and Sonoma counties, growing on volcanic slopes, chaparral, and pine/oak woodland at elevations of 75 to 1,100 meters. Flowering from February to April, this plant produces blue to purple flowers in compact umbel-like clusters 1 to 2 centimeters long. Growing as a low, mound-like shrub 20 to 50 centimeters tall with spreading to ascending stems and reddish-brown twigs, it forms a distinctive compact shape. Its opposite evergreen leaves are elliptic to narrowly obovate, 10 to 20 millimeters long, with shiny green surfaces, slightly wavy margins, and 3 to 9 sharp teeth in the distal two-thirds of the leaf. The fruit is 4 to 6 millimeters wide with slender horns 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters long.

Habitat: Volcanic slopes, chaparral, pine/oak woodland

Bloom period: Feb-Apr

Elevation: 75-1100 m

Bioregions: s NCoR (Lake, Napa, Sonoma cos.).

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.