Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Monterey Ceanothus (Ceanothus rigidus previously called Ceanothus cuneatus var. rigidus) is a rare native shrub that grows in Northern, Southern and Central California, primarily in the Central Coast and SF Bay regions. It tends to grow in dry fans, slopes and ridges, at elevations from 0-5900 feet.

Ceanothus rigidus is primarily available in nurseries as cultivars - the two most common of which are Ceanothus rigidus 'Snowball', and Ceanothus rigidus'' 'Sierra Snow'. Both have profuse white flowers, and a dense form with arching branches the former of The Snowball variety ranges from 4-5 high and 8 feet wide, and Sierra Snow ranges from 5-6 feet high and 10-15 feet wide. Both are relatively easy to grow in the natural coastal range of the straight Ceanothus rigidus species.

Plant type

Shrub

Size

4 - 6 ft Tall
5 - 15 ft Wide

Form

Mounding, Rounded, Spreading

Growth rate

Moderate

Dormancy

Evergreen

Calscape icon
Color

Blue, Purple, White

Flowering season

Winter, Spring

Special uses

Bank stabilization, Hedge

Sun

Full Sun

Water

Very Low

Summer irrigation

Max 1x / month once established

Ease of care

Easy

Cold tolerance

Tolerates cold to 15 - 25° F

Soil drainage

Fast, Medium, Slow

Soil description

Adaptable.

Propagation

For propagating by seed: Hot water treatment.

Sunset Zones

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

Site type

Dry fans, slopes, ridges

Plant communities

Closed-cone Pine Forest, Coastal Sage Scrub, Northern Coastal Scrub

Bats
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 77 likely

Confirmed Likely

Acanthopteroctetes unifascia

Acronicta perdita

Aethaloida packardaria