Ceanothus megacarpus var. megacarpus

Bigpod ceanothus, Bigpod Ceanothus

Family: Rhamnaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Bigpod ceanothus is a California native shrub found in northern Santa Catalina, southern Channel Islands, Transverse Ranges, San Gabriel Mountains, and northern Peninsular Ranges in rocky chaparral and canyon habitats at elevations below 900 meters. Flowering from December to March, this plant produces small white to pale blue flowers in dense clusters. Growing with upright branches 1 to 2 meters tall, it forms a dense, rounded shrub with woody stems. Its leaves are generally alternate, with leathery green blades that provide excellent drought adaptation. The fruit is distinctively three-ridged with small horns less than 1.5 millimeters long.

Habitat: Rocky slopes, canyons, chaparral

Bloom period: Dec-Mar

Elevation: < 900 m

Bioregions: n SCo, s ChI, WTR, SnGb, n PR.

California counties: Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Riverside, San Diego, Monterey

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