The Catalina Ceanothus is a woody shrub or small tree native to the Channel Islands off the coast of California. It grows up to 20 feet tall and 8-10 feet wide, with shiny green leaves and abundant pale blue fragrant flowers from February to May. The flowers are followed by blue-black berries. It is a good choice for native plant gardens, thriving in full sun and well-drained soil with little water once established. It attracts bees, butterflies, and birds and has several available cultivars.

1. Catalina Ceanothus – Ceanothus arboreus
(see-an-OH-thus ar-BORE-ee-us (or ar-bore-EE-us))
Family: Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn family)
Native to: Channel Islands, including Santa Catalina; dry, brushy canyon slopes and Chaparral.
Growth characteristics: woody shrub/small tree
mature height: to 20 ft. mature width: 8-10 ft.
Small, evergreen tree or large shrub. Leaves are shiny-green on top, downy/hairy on bottom. Very
attractive foliage and nice growth form.
Feb-May. Very showy with abundance of large panicles of fragrant, pale blue
flowers. Fruits are blue-black berries, in summer.
Blooms/fruits:
Uses in the garden: an attractive addition to a shrub border or against a wall (can be shaped and
trained when young). Quick growing ands easy.
Good with native oaks. Nice specimen plant
(showy, fragrant). Can be pruned up for a small tree.
Available cultivars are: ‘Cliff Schmidt’,
‘Trewithen Blue’, 'Owlswood Blue', 'Powder Blue'.
Sensible substitute for: non-native large, woody shrubs such as Viburnums
Attracts: bees & butterflies (important early nectar source); birds eat seeds
Requirements:
Element
Sun
Soil
Water
Fertilizer
Other
Requirement
Full sun on coast to part-shade
Any well-drained – sandy soils great; any pH including alkali
Infrequent; don’t over-water once established
None needed
Organic mulch recommended
plant in permanent position – do not like to be moved. Prune lightly to remove
dead branches in winter/early spring. Susceptible to fungal disease, root rot – water sparingly.
Management:
Propagation: from seed: collect ripe seed in summer; plant that fall/winter in pots.
germinate.
1-2 months to
by cuttings: hardwood, semi-softwood and root cuttings in fall.
Plant/seed sources (see list for source numbers): 1, 3, 7- 9, 11, 14, 19, 20, 24, 28
2/20/11
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