Ceanothus lemmonii

Habit: low-growing spreading shrub, and in some cases appears more like a ground cover.  New twigs are greenish white and hairy maturing to woody and gray.  Dull green evergreen leaves are opposite, round to elliptic and densely hairy on the underside.  Margins have many tiny teeth.  Flowers bloom in small dense spikes, making the entire plant appearing to be covered in blue blossoms. Individual flowers are small and purplish blue, with the typical ceanothus hooded petals and pale yellow stamens, a nice contrast to the blue.  The fruit is a smooth capsule.  Blooms in May.

Ecology: found growing on open wooded slopes between 1200-3200 ft (350-1000 m), native and endemic to California.

Growing Conditions: full sun to partial shade, in dry well-drained soil.  Ceanothus lemmonii is not drought tolerant.