Virginia Tech Dendrology

Santa Barbara ceanothus Rhamnaceae Ceanothus impressus Trel. symbol: CEIM
Leaf: Opposite, simple, evergreen, elliptical to nearly round, 1/4 to 3/4 inches long, thick, appearing wrinkled, dark green to yellow-green and waxy above and smooth or gray pubescent below; margins distinctly curled.
Flower: Small, deep blue to purple, in large pompom-like clusters along the branches on short, thick stalks, appearing in spring.
Fruit: Rounded capsules with 3 small apical horns, often sticky, 1/6 inch long, each capsule contains about 12 small, black shiny seeds.
Twig: Distinctly angled, green or reddish brown with a fine covering of hair.
Bark: Reddish brown and smooth when young, becoming gray-brown with age.
Form: Broadleaf evergreen ground cover, to 10 feet tall but more commonly to 4 feet, typically low spreading or mounded with arching branches that root adventitiously.
Looks like: blueblossom - snowbrush

Additional Range Information: Ceanothus impressus is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information