Ceanothus Extravaganza

The Ceanothus are just exploding with blooms right now, and I'm not sure why. You'd think the lack of rain this winter would be a deterrent, but NOOOOO. What's up with that? First it was the phenomenal (though short-lived) blooms of the manzanitas, and now the Ceanothus are going to town. Moral of the story is, don't question, just enjoy...

2/7/12 'Valley Violet' Ceanothus (Ceanothus maritimus), growing next to 'Pigeon Point' dwarf coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis pilularis). At 1-2' H x 2-3' W, Valley Violet would work well in a smaller garden space. This one's growing next the the driveway in front of the garage. 

2/7/12 Ceanothus 'Concha' (hybrid of C. impressus x papillosus var. roweanus). One of the oldest, most reliable and popular of Ceanothus hybrids. 

2/7/12 'Remote Blue' Ceanothus. Hybrid of C. leucodermis x griseus.

2/7/12 'Ebbet's Field' Ceanothus (Native Sons Nursery introduction).

2/7/12 Wart-Stemmed Ceanothus (Ceanothus verrucosis). Not seeing any warts...

2/7/12 Otay Ceanothus (Ceanothus otayensis). Native to Otay Mountain in San Diego County. Got this one at last fall's RSABG native plant sale, although it seemed pretty bedraggled at the time. I bought it cuz it was the last one there and, sheesh, I really, really wanted - no, NEEDED to get one of these guys. Looks recovered now.

2/7/12 'Julia Phelps' Ceanothus (aka, Small Leaf Mountain Lilac). Hybrid of C. impressus x papillosus. An introduction from the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation. 

2/7/12 'Sierra Snow' Ceanothus. Ok, not many flowers, but at least it's flowering (last year, not even one piddly bloom). 

2/7/12 Hoary-leaved Ceanothus (Ceanothus crassifolius). This one's native to our property. Well, what kind of name is Hoary-leaved? What does Hoary mean? Sounds like a floozy.

2/7/12 'Ray Hartman' Ceanothus (C. arboreus x griseus). Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden intro.

2/12/12 'Dark Star' Ceanothus next to the driveway and propane tank. KABOOM! Just kidding...Ceanothus are nowhere near as flammable as, say, greasewood (and, it's at the prescribed 10' distance from the tank).

2/12/12 Hairy Leaf Ceanothus (Ceanothus oliganthus oliganthus) next to Deer Grass (Muhlenbergia rigens). Here we go again. What an ugly common name. Whyfore? Not hairy at all, as far as I can tell. Las Pilitas nursery's website has some pretty funny commentary on a few of the ridiculously unflattering common names of Ceanothus http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/ceanothus-oliganthus-oliganthus. 

2/12/12 'Joyce Coulter' Ceanothus. 

2/12/12 'Snow Flurry' Ceanothus (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus). Tons and tons of flower buds on the verge of blooming but not quite yet there. You get the picture.

Several other ceanothus (ceanothuses, ceanothi?) are just starting to bud (Blue Jeans, Skylark, Wheeler Canyon, Mountain Haze and Frosty Blue). I'll be adding pics of their blooms (when they're actually in bloom) later on to this post. And, last but not least, here a few other natives that are defying our winter drought:

2/7/12 California Peony (Paeonia californica). Native to our site.

2/7/12 California Peony (Paeonia californica).

2/7/12 White Chaparral Currant (Ribes indecorum).

2/7/12 'Howard McMinn' Manzanita (Arctostaphylos densiflora). One of the most adaptable and dependable of manzanitas in the gardenscape. They seem to do fine with some irrigation, but are also quite drought tolerant. This one's growing on a slope next to our citrus grove away from the drip lines. 

2/7/12 'Anacapa Pink' Island Morning Glory (Calystegia macrostegia).

2/7/12 San Diego Sunflower (Viguiera laciniata).

2/7/12 'Mrs. Beard' Creeping Sage (Salvia sonomensis). Hybrid selection of S. mellifera and S. sonomensis. 

2/12/12 Western Monkshood (Aconitum columbianum) that I had given up for dead last year, resprouting after some extra irrigation in one of the planter beds. YES!!!! Keeping my fingers crossed that these montane beauties will take to our warmer, lower elevation climes here in Murrieta.