Ceanothus foliosus

Ceanothus foliosus is a species of flowering shrub in the Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn) family known by the common name Wavyleaf Ceanothus. This Ceanothus is endemic to California, where its distribution extends throughout the Coast Ranges and the northern end of the Peninsular Ranges. This shrub appears in a variety of forms throughout its range. It may be tall and erect but is generally under two meters in height; it may also be low-lying and sprawling. There are three recognized varieties; var. vineatus (Vine Hill Ceanothus) is a rare form. The species generally has sparse, small evergreen leaves only one to two centimeters in length and toothed along the edges with hairy knobs. The petite flower clusters are borne on naked stalks and are bunched with blue or lavender flowers with prominent yellow anthers. The fruit is a capsule about 4 millimeters long containing usually 3 seeds. It is an excellent butterfly plant.