Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Ceanothus 'Snowball' is a dense, mounding shrub that is covered in pure white balls of flower clusters in the spring. The flowers really stand out against the plant's arching branches of dark green, leathery leaves. Snowball grows 4' tall and can spread to 10'. It is best near the coast but can take inland heat and drought, as well as heavier soils, as long as it gets some afternoon shade and a bit of summer water. It likes to keep it's roots cool but dry in the summer and will respond well to a quick rinsing off of it leaves every week or so in the summer. Just make sure you don't get the soil wet! Try it on a hillside or let it cascade over a wall. Horticultural selection by Lester Rowntree, C. cuneatus var. rigidus: origin = cuttings (1950) Yankee Pt., central coast, Monterey Co.; intro Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden 1954.

Plant type

Shrub

Size

4 - 6 ft Tall
6 - 10 ft Wide

Form

Mounding

Growth rate

Moderate

Dormancy

Evergreen

Calscape icon
Color

White

Flowering season

Spring, Winter

Special uses

Bank stabilization, Hedge

Sun

Full Sun

Water

Low

Ease of care

Easy

Cold tolerance

15

Soil drainage

Fast, Medium, Slow

Soil description

Tolerates a wide variety of soils.

Sunset Zones

8*, 9*, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22, 23, 24

Bats
Bees
Caterpillars
Butterflies