Ceanothus foliosus var. vineatus

Vine hill ceanothus, Vine Hill Ceanothus

Family: Rhamnaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Vine hill ceanothus is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native shrub found in southern North Coast Ranges in rocky slopes, chaparral, woodland, and mixed-evergreen forest at elevations below 300 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces white to pale blue flowers in compact clusters. Growing as a low, open mat or mound to less than 0.5 meters tall with spreading stems, it forms a distinctive ground-hugging shape. Its leaves are widely elliptic to obovate with wavy margins, glabrous on the undersides except along the veins, and range from entire to having a few subtle teeth. The compact, low-growing form and distinctive leaf shape make this rare ceanothus a unique element of its native habitats.

Habitat: Rocky slopes, flats, chaparral, woodland, mixed-evergreen forest

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: < 300 m

Bioregions: s NCoR.

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