Ceanothus var. Repens, Cool Blue | Californian Lilac | amazing blue blooms | 2024

Gardening in zone 7b. This is our lovely Californian Lilac in full bloom during the month on may 2024. We planted it in summer 2022 and this is its second year in bloom. It is an evergreen that has an amazing growth rate! The flowers are a true blue and they smell amazing, while attracting lots of pollinators.

Ceanothus var. Repens

Family: Rhamnaceae Genus: Ceanothus

Plant type: Hedge or Screen, Shrub

Biomes/Growing conditions: Hot Aspects, Low Water/No Water, Oregon Coast, Western Native

Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade

USDA Hardiness zone: Zn7b 10º to 5ºF

Foliage color: Dark Green

Foliage season: Evergreen

This is one of the most popular shrubs in western Oregon of the last two decades. And rightfully so. This wild lilac sports excellent cold hardiness, prolific flowers, and glossy handsome evergreen foliage year round. A strong growing shrub that can literally explode in growth in rich soil but is much more restrained in poorer mediums. Remember this when planting it. It performs the best in average, un-amended soils in full sun with regular summer water for the first season to establish and then none in subsequent years. Sky blue flowers are profuse covering this dense shrub in a haze of color for 3-4 weeks in May to June. Later blooming that most other Ceanothus. This good looking shrub is so durable its made its way as highway verge mass plantings but it is just as stellar of a garden plant as well. Cold hardy to about 5ºF- it survived 5ºF in the southern Willamette Valley in 2013 by freezing to the snow line and then vigorously re-sprouting. Durable, dependable Ceanothus. Avoid the summer heat + water that it abhors it leaves it open to root water molds that can do it in and fairly quickly. Excellent shrub for the beginning gardener. Loved by pollinators of all kinds and is virtually rolling in bees during its fabulous bloom. NOT DEER RESISTANT. Most likely a hybrid with C. thyrsiflorus which must be responsible for at least half of its make up. Found in Victoria, Canada- hence the name. Likely it is the old cultivar ‘Skylark’ that was re-named upon its survival there of a hideous winter. The old name was forgotten and the glee of survival and discovery led to the renaming. To be clear ‘Victoria’ and ‘Skylark’ are exactly the same thing. Very fast growing to on average 8′ x 8′. Excellent with all west coast natives. Blooms simultaneously with yellow Halimiums. A fantastic floral and cultural combination.
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