Ceanothus crassifolius
Encyclopedia
Ceanothus crassifolius is a species of flowering shrub
known by the common name hoaryleaf ceanothus. This Ceanothus
is found throughout the coastal mountain ranges of the southern half of California
, and its range extends into Baja California
. It is an erect, spreading shrub which can exceed three meters in height. The branches become long and the younger twigs are fuzzy with white or light brown hairs. The small evergreen leaves have widely-spaced teeth along the edges and the undersides are lighter in color and coated with hairs. The inflorescence
s are borne on short stalks less than three centimeters long and are small and rounded with tiny white flowers. They can be quite dense and can cover branches thickly, or they may be sparse. The flowers may have a yellowish or pink tint. The fruit is a horned capsule less than a centimeter wide.
plant associations; other common flora associates are Toyon
and Hollyleaf cherry.
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
known by the common name hoaryleaf ceanothus. This Ceanothus
Ceanothus
Ceanothus L. is a genus of about 50–60 species of shrubs or small trees in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. The genus is confined to North America, the center of its distribution in California, with some species in the eastern United States and southeast Canada, and others extending as far south...
is found throughout the coastal mountain ranges of the southern half of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and its range extends into Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
. It is an erect, spreading shrub which can exceed three meters in height. The branches become long and the younger twigs are fuzzy with white or light brown hairs. The small evergreen leaves have widely-spaced teeth along the edges and the undersides are lighter in color and coated with hairs. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s are borne on short stalks less than three centimeters long and are small and rounded with tiny white flowers. They can be quite dense and can cover branches thickly, or they may be sparse. The flowers may have a yellowish or pink tint. The fruit is a horned capsule less than a centimeter wide.
Distribution
C. crassifolius typically occurs in California chaparralChaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
plant associations; other common flora associates are Toyon
Toyon
Heteromeles arbutifolia , and commonly known as Toyon, is a common perennial shrub native to California down to Baja California....
and Hollyleaf cherry.