Ceanothus sanguineus
Redstem ceanothus
(c) Noah How, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Rhamnaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Ceanothus sanguineus (Redstem ceanothus) is a native California shrub in the Rhamnaceae family, recognized by large deciduous leaves with many tiny teeth.
Redstem ceanothus is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges in mixed conifer forest and canyon habitats at elevations of 700 to 1,700 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces white flowers in panicle-like clusters 3 to 8 centimeters long. Growing with ascending to erect stems 3 meters tall, the shrub has flexible twigs ranging from green to red-brown and an open growth habit. Its alternate leaves are ovate to widely elliptic, 25 to 95 millimeters long, with green upper surfaces, pale undersides, and margins featuring 30 to 80 tiny glandular-serrate teeth. The brown, sticky fruit is 3 to 4.5 millimeters wide with subtle ridges near the tip.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 20 sympatric species; key features are large deciduous leaves with many tiny teeth
Habitat and range
Habitat: Flats, canyon, mixed conifer forest
Elevation: 700-1700 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Montana
Bloom period
Ceanothus sanguineus blooms Apr-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Rhamnus: Ceanothus has showy blue/white/pink flowers in dense clusters; Rhamnus has tiny inconspicuous greenish flowers.; vs Quercus: Ceanothus has showy flower clusters and small leaves; Quercus has acorns and distinctive lobed or toothed oak leaves.; vs Baccharis: Ceanothus has individual flowers with 5 separate petals; Baccharis has composite flower heads with tiny disc flowers.; vs Cercocarpus: Ceanothus has blue/white/pink flowers in clusters; Cercocarpus has tiny flowers with no petals and feathery fruiting tails.; vs Adenostoma: Ceanothus flowers have 5 distinct colored petals; Adenostoma has tiny white flowers and needle-like clustered leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ceanothus sanguineus native to California?
Yes. Ceanothus sanguineus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ceanothus sanguineus bloom?
Ceanothus sanguineus blooms Apr-Jun.
What plant family does Ceanothus sanguineus belong to?
Ceanothus sanguineus is in the Rhamnaceae family, genus Ceanothus.
What habitat does Ceanothus sanguineus grow in?
Ceanothus sanguineus grows in Flats, canyon, mixed conifer forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.