California Lilac, so many shades of blue!
So many shades of blue! California lilacs (Ceanothus sp.) are some of my favorite evergreen shrubs to include in low-water gardens.
Pollinators love them, they’re absolutely beautiful, their light pleasant fragrance smells of spring, they’re super low maintenance, help fix the nitrogen in the soil, and need no irrigation once established!
The photos in this post were all taken by me in the late winter and early spring, walking around Santa Cruz, CA. They’re a mix of the many Ceanothus cultivars that you can find in nurseries in our area.
You can find Ceanothus varieties that will grow as low creeping groundcovers, the perfect size shrub, or even small trees.
Many shades of blue, and even a few white-blossomed and variegated varieties are available.
Go for a walk in the Coastal Ranges of California this time of year, and you’ll likely see bursts of blue Ceanothus, blooming in its native habitat. Welcome spring!