Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Rhamnaceae
Genus:	Ceanothus
Species:	C. thyrsiflorus
Binomial name
*Ceanothus thyrsiflorus* Eschsch.

Natural range of Ceanothus thyrsiflorus

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, known as blueblossom or blue blossom ceanothus, is an evergreen shrub in the genus Ceanothus that is endemic to California. The term 'Californian lilac' is also applied to this and other varieties of ceanothus, though it is not closely related to Syringa, the true lilac.

Description

C. thyrsiflorus can grow more than 6 m (20 ft) tall in its native chaparral habitat. Flowers vary from different shades of blue to close to white. It is popular with birds, butterflies, and other pollinators.

Cultivation

C. thyrsiflorus has been used in gardens extensively, and several cultivars have been selected. Popular garden varieties include:-

'Blue Mound' which can grow to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) tall
'Cascade' which may reach 8 m (26 ft) of height
'El Dorado', a variegated cultivar with gold edge foliage and powder blue flowers^[1]
'Repens' which stays as a shrub around 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in–9 ft 10 in) tall
'Repens Victoria', forming a sturdy evergreen mound and most useful groundcover with powder blue flowers
'Skylark', a tall type with blue flowers (this cultivar has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit)^[2]
'Snow Flurry', with white flowers

Etymology

Ceanothus is derived from the Ancient Greek, κεάνωθος (keanōthos) 'spiny plant'. The name was originally used by Theophrastus for another plant, and Linnaeus reused it for Ceanothus.^[3]

Thyrsiflorus is derived from the Ancient Greek word, Thyrsus, meaning a 'contracted panicle', 'wreath', or 'thyrsus'. Florus is derived from Latin and means 'flower', and so thyrsiflorus means 'with flowers arranged in the shape of a contracted panicle or thyrsus staff'.^[3]

References

↑ Botanica. The Illustrated AZ of over 10000 garden plants and how to cultivate them, p. 202 Könemann, 2004.
↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Ceanothus 'Skylark'". Retrieved 19 July 2013.
1 2 Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521866453 (hardback), ISBN 9780521685535 (paperback). pp 96, 168, 379

External links

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