Ceanothus foliosus var. medius
La cuesta ceanothus, La Cuesta Ceanothus
Family: Rhamnaceae · Type: shrub · Native
La cuesta ceanothus is a California native shrub found in San Francisco Bay, south Coast Ranges, and Peninsular Ranges in rocky slopes, chaparral, woodland, and mixed-evergreen forest at elevations below 650 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces white to blue flowers in clusters that highlight its distinctive growth. Growing to nearly 2 meters tall with ascending to erect stems, it forms a dense, compact shrub with a structured architectural presence. Its leaves are elliptic with wavy margins, densely covered in short, wavy hairs on the underside, creating a textured silvery-green appearance. The shrub's gland-toothed leaf edges and compact growth make it a distinctive component of California's chaparral landscapes.
Habitat: Rocky slopes, flats, chaparral, woodland, mixed-evergreen forest
Bloom period: Mar-Jun
Elevation: < 650 m
Bioregions: SnFrB, SCoR, PR.
California counties: San Luis Obispo, Lake, Marin, San Diego, Monterey, Santa Clara, Sonoma, Santa Cruz
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.