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Ceanothus 'Dark Star' (Dark Star Ceanothus) - A dense, vase-shaped shrub growing quickly to about 6 feet tall by 8 feet wide with very small, deep green leaves that have a dimpled surface. When the dark, cobalt-blue flower clusters bloom in spring, the overall effect is breathtaking.
Plant in full sun and provide good drainage. Requires little or no water in summer. It is hardy to 15 degrees F. Best suited to coastal gardens where it is one of the showiest and most popular cultivars of California lilac - useful as a beautiful informal screen or a feature shub. Noted as less attractive to predation by deer but still eaten when they get hungry.
This cultivar was introduced by Ken Taylor in 1971, who selected it from seelings planted in his Aromas, California garden in 1968. It is believed to be a cross between the Santa Barbara Ceanothus, Ceanothus impressus and Ceanothus papillosus var. roweanus (now considered to just be a compact form of Ceanothus papillosus). We have grown this great plant since 1983.
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 'Dark Star' 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.
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