Ceanothus
(from keanothus, a name employed by Theophrastus to designate a spiny plant, derived from keo, to cleave; however, the modern genus has nothing to do with the plant of Theophrastus). ORD. Rhamneae. Hardy or half-hardy, smooth or pubescent shrubs. Flowers blue or white, very slender, disposed in terminal panicles or in thyrsoid cymes. Leaves alternate, serrated, three-nerved. Branches erect. They thrive in almost any soil, but prefer a light one, and a well-drained situation. The majority of the species are very elegant, and are particularly suited for covering walls with almost all aspects. They are mostly of free and neat growth. Propagation is effected either by cuttings, which should be inserted in sandy soil, in a cold frame, in autumn, or by layers, which is the readiest way of obtaining strong plants. A great number of species have been introduced, from time to time, but only a comparative few are generally grown, although all are well worth cultivating.
C. americanus (American).* New Jersey Tea. fl. white, small; thyrse elongated, axillary, with a pubescent rachis. June, July. l. ovate, acuminated, serrated, and pubescent beneath. North America, 1713. Hardy. (B. M. 1479.) C. azureus (azure-blue).* fl. pale blue; pedicels smooth; thyrse elongated, axillary, with a downy rachis. April and May. l. ovate-oblong, obtuse, acutely serrated, smooth above, hoary and downy beneath. h. 10ft. Mexico, 1818. Hardy in most places. SYNS. C. bicolor and C. coeruleus (L. B. C. 110). (B. R. 291.) There is a very fine variety of this species, GLOIRE DE VERSAILLES, which is most desirable.
C. bicolor (two-coloured). A synonym of C. azureus.
C. coeruleus (blue). A synonym of C. azureus.
C. collinus (hill). fl. white, numerous. June, July. l. ovate or elliptic, somewhat clammy. h. 1ft. North America, 1827. Hardy.
C. cuneatus (wedge-shaped).* fl. pale blue, sometimes white, disposed in corymbose terminal heads. April. l. cuneate-obovate, or oblong, usually entire. h. 4ft. Upper California. SYN. C. verrucosus. Half-hardy. (B. M. 4660.)
C. dentatus (toothed).* fl. blue, in small roundish clusters, on naked peduncles about 1in. long. May and June. l. fascicled, obovate or oblong-elliptic, acute, the margins strongly undulate or revolute. h. 4ft. to 6ft. California, 1848. An erect, and usually nearly glabrous shrub. Hardy. SYN. C. Lobbianus. (B. M. 4810.)
C. divaricatus (straggling). fl. nearly white, or very pale blue, usually in nearly simple elongated racemes. June, July. l. oblong, or oblong-ovate, rounded at the base, obtuse or acute at the apex, both sides smooth. Branches spinose and straggling. h. 3ft. to 4ft. California and Oregon, 1848. Hardy.
C. floribundus (many-flowered).* fl. richest brilliant mazarine blue, densely crowded in globe-shaped heads. June. l. small, oblong, acute, serrulate, evergreen, shining. California. Hardy. (B. M. 4806.) C. integerrimus (entire-leaved).* fl. usually white, arranged in large open panicles, terminating slender branches, or axillary upon shorter peduncles. June, July. l. ovate, or ovate-oblong, entire or rarely slightly glandular-serrulate. Branches slender, quite glabrous. h. 3ft. to 6ft. California, 1846. Half-hardy.
C. Lobbianus (Lobb's). A synonym of C. dentatus.
C. microphyllus (small-leaved). fl. white; corymbs stalked, loose terminal. May, June. l. oblong, obtuse, entire, minute, sub-fascicled, smooth. Branches straight, somewhat decumbent. h. 2ft. North America, 1806. Hardy.
C. papillosus (pimpled). fl. blue, in dense clusters, on short racemes, terminating slender, naked peduncles. June. l. narrowly oblong, blunt at both ends, glandular-serrulate, and the upper surface is also glandular. h. 2ft. to 3ft. California, 1848. Half-hardy. (B. M. 4815.)
C. rigidus (rigid).* fl. rich purple-blue, in long terminal spikes. l. broadly cuneate, or obovate, often emarginate, slightly toothed. h. 5ft. to 6ft. California, 1848. Half-hardy. (B. M. 4664.)
C. Veitchianus (Veitch's ).* fl. bright blue, disposed in dense clusters. l. thick, small, oblong-obovate, or oval, glandular-serrulate. California. Hardy. (B. M. 5127.)
C. verrucosus (warted). Synonymous with C. cuneatus.