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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Rhamnaceae (Buckthorns) |
| Origin: California (U.S.A.) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Blue |
| Bloomtime: Spring |
| Height: <1 foot |
| Width: 6-8 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Seaside: Yes |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 10-15° F |
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Ceanothus hearstiorum (Hearst Ranch Buckbrush) - A prostrate groundcover less than 12 inches tall that spreads 6 to 8 feet across, branches of young plants form a star-like pattern, radiating outward as they cloak the earth with their red-brown stems and linear, somewhat rectangular, ½ to 1-inch long, dark green leaves. The warty, glandular leaf surface is an attractive textural backdrop to the masses of light to medium blue, rounded flower clusters that bloom in spring. Along the immediate coast, plants are fully drought tolerant and grow well in full sun to light shade. Away from the ocean’s influence, provide part shade and occasional irrigation during summer. This is one of the more shade-tolerant species of ceanothus but needs well-drained soils to thrive. It is hardy down to at least 15 F. Tip prune young plants to encourage a dense, solid cover. Restricted in the wild to a few populations around Arroyo de la Cruz in in northern San Luis Obispo County along the central coast, this rare native is among the lowest of the cultivated ceanothus. 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. The specific epithet is in reference to the Hearst Ranch from where this plant was discovered. It was first described in 1966 by Robert Francis Hoover and James B. Roof in "Four Seasons", the Journal of the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden. Another common names is Hearst's Ceanothus.
The information on this page is based on research conducted in our nursery library and from online sources as well as from observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery, in the nursery's garden and in other gardens that we have visited. We have also incorporated comments received from others and always appreciate getting feedback of any kind from those who have some additional information, particularly if this information is contrary to what we have written or includes additional cultural tips that would aid others in growing Ceanothus hearstiorum.
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