Water Wise Plants

see-ah-NO-thuss

California Wild Lilac

Plant type depends on cultivar

Many different types

None: avoid summer water

Full to half sun

Purple, dark blue, medium blue, white

Ceanothus is a California native evergreen shrub. It is very showy in late winter and early spring when it covers itself with beautiful blossoms. Most Ceanothus have blue blooms that are very attractive to bees and other insects.

There are many different kinds of Ceanothus. Some are low growing ground covers; some are shrubs, and some become tree-like. Most Ceanothus need to be planted in a dry part of the garden because they are very sensitive to summer watering. Ceanothus varieties originally from the coast, such as ‘Carmel Creeper’, are more tolerant of summer water. Cultivars should be researched carefully to select the right plant that meets individual garden conditions. 

It is best to prune Ceanothus in the late summer when they are dormant. Take care not to cut into large branches. Only prune branches that are an inch or less in size.

Even with proper pruning and watering, these plants can be short-lived (five to ten years), but their beautiful spring flowers more than make up for any challenges.