Ceanothus cyaneus

Lakeside ceanothus

Family: Rhamnaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Lakeside ceanothus is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native shrub found in southern Peninsular Ranges near San Diego County in chaparral on slopes and ridges at elevations of 45 to 1,050 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces bright blue flowers in panicle-like clusters 5 to 30 centimeters long. Growing as an open shrub less than 3 meters tall with ascending to erect flexible green stems, it has distinctively angled twigs with ridged internodes. Its alternate evergreen leaves are approximately ovate-elliptic, 15 to 45 millimeters long, with green upper surfaces and pale green glaucous undersides featuring 23 to 58 small serrated leaf edges. The compact shrub has a distinctive appearance with its bright blue flowers and finely textured foliage.

Habitat: Slopes, ridges, chaparral

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: 45-1050 m

Bioregions: s PR (San Diego Co.)

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