Ceanothus maritimus

Maritime ceanothus

Family: Rhamnaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Maritime ceanothus is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native shrub found in the northwestern San Luis Obispo County coastal hills and bluffs at elevations below 60 meters. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces blue flowers in compact umbel-like clusters less than 2 centimeters wide. Growing as a low, spreading or ascending shrub generally less than 1 meter tall, it forms a mat- to mound-like shape with distinctive red-brown twigs. Its evergreen leaves are obovate or oblong-obovate, 8 to 20 millimeters long, with a shiny green upper surface and gray-tomentose underside, featuring a truncate or notched tip and occasionally having 3 to 5 teeth near the end. The fruit is wrinkled near the top, measuring 5 to 8 millimeters long with small horns 1 to 2 millimeters in length.

Habitat: Coastal hills, bluffs

Bloom period: Feb-May

Elevation: < 60 m

Bioregions: CCo (nw San Luis Obispo Co.).

California counties: San Luis Obispo, Yolo

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