Over the next few months you may notice throughout Sausalito a variety of shrubs and trees with round, dark green leaves and 3-5 inches of beautiful blue flowers. Most likely this is Ceanothus, a California native plant, often called California Lilac.

Below is a picture of a beautiful Ceanothus ‘Ray Hartman’ in the corner of Gabrielson Park, near the roses.

Not only does Ceanothus make a great foundational shrub or showy tree adding winter/spring interest to your landscape, but it is drought tolerant and grows well in our clay soil. Birds such as quail like nesting in low-growing, shrubby varieties of Ceanothus and its seeds feed bushtits, mockingbirds, quail, and finches.

Ceanothus likes full to part sun and grows well on the coast. After watering it for the first few years, it only likes occasional deep watering in the summer.

If you want more of a tree form to perhaps create a privacy screen, then choose Ceanothus ‘Ray Hartman’ which can grow up to 12 feet high and 15 wide. It’s a fast grower and can grow 2-4 feet a year in the beginning.

This tree form is also ideal for yards that are open to deer as it grows so high that the deer won’t be able to eat the leaves. Of course you must protect it until it’s established (2-3 years) and prune its branches into a tree form so they are high enough that deer can’t reach them. You can also buy small Ceanothus trees that are already 10-12 feet high.

For another showy winter shrub, you may consider Ceanothus ‘Concha’ which grows to about 3-6 feet high and just as wide.

There are many Ceanothus varieties to choose from depending on your landscaping needs. To learn more and see if Ceanothus will work in your landscape, look up Ceanothus in the Marin Master Gardner’s Plantmaster online database.

Do you have a favorite Ceanothus in your yard or one that you see on your walks throughout Sausalito?

We’d love to hear about it. Tell us more in the comments section.