Ceanothus arboreus 'Powder Blue' at San Marcos Growers





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Products > Ceanothus arboreus 'Powder Blue'

Ceanothus arboreus 'Powder Blue' - Powder Blue Ceanothus

Note: This plant is no longer in stock. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.

Image of Ceanothus arboreus 'Powder Blue'

[2nd Image]

Habit and Cultural Information

Category: Shrub

Family: Rhamnaceae (Buckthorns)

Origin: California (U.S.A.)

California Native (Plant List): Yes

Evergreen: Yes

Flower Color: Blue

Bloomtime: Winter/Spring

Height: 8-12 feet

Width: 10-15 feet

Exposure: Full Sun

Summer Dry: Yes

Irrigation (H2O Info): No Irrigation required

Winter Hardiness: 15-20� F

Ceanothus arboreus 'Powder Blue' (Powder Blue Ceanothus) - A large, bold-textured shrub with 1 1/2 to 3 inch-long leaves and an abundance of pale blue flowers held in teardrop-shaped inflorescences. Plant in full sun along the coast, light shade inland. Hardy to 15�. Plant in full sun to light shade. Hardy to 15� F. Selected in 1991 by Carol Bornstein, former Director of Horticulture for the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, from an atypical, low-growing individual on Santa Cruz Island. It was hoped that this selection would retain the small size of the parent plant (3 feet in height), however plants in cultivation attain the same general proportions as the species. The largest plant known in cultivation grew 9 feet tall by 15 feet wide. This cultivar has a voluntary royalty that is paid by participating nurseries to support the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden�s plant introduction program. The genus name comes from the Greek word keanthos which was used to describe a type of thistle and meaning a "thorny plant" or "spiny plant" and first used by Linnaeus in 1753 to describe New Jersey Tea, Ceanothus americanus. This specific epithet is from the Latin word 'arbos' meaning tree in reference to this being a taller tree-like species. More information on this plant can be found on the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden's Plant Introduction Page. We grew this nice plant from 2012 until 2021.

Information displayed on this page about Ceanothus arboreus 'Powder Blue' is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.

San Marcos Growers closed for regular business at the end of 2025 as the property is being developed for affordable housing.

While our gates remain closed, we will open them by appointment so we can liquidate remaining plants, supplies and equipment. The plants remaining in the field are listed on our Live Inventory Page.

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