Plant in full sun for maximum flowering. Established plants need no summer water but will tolerate it; this attribute and its abundant flowering account for Concha’s reputation as one of the best, most reliable ceanothus cultivars. It also tolerates a wide range of soils and alkalinity. Hardy to 10 degrees F without damage and some have noted it not particularly attractive to deer predation.

This venerable and popular cultivar was discovered in 1946 and then named in 1949 by Charles Samms, who found it growing in his Bee Line Nursery in San Dimas (later moved to Aptos). It is thought to be a hybrid between Ceanothus impressus and Ceanothus papillosus var. roweanus (now considered to just be a compact form of Ceanothus papillosus). It has long been considered to be one of the best of the of California Lilacs and we have grown it since 1982.

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 information displayed on this page about Ceanothus 'Concha' is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We 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.