Plant Guide

Ceanothus ×flexilis Greene ex McMinn [cuneatus × prostratus]
flexible ceanothus
CEFL4
Cultivar: Cuesta

Summary
Duration	Perennial
Growth Habit	Shrub
U.S. Nativity	Native to U.S.
Federal T/E Status
National Wetland Indicator

Morphology/Physiology
Active Growth Period	Spring and Summer
After Harvest Regrowth Rate
Bloat
C:N Ratio
Coppice Potential	No
Fall Conspicuous	Yes
Fire Resistant	No
Flower Color	Blue
Flower Conspicuous	Yes
Foliage Color	Dark Green
Foliage Porosity Summer	Dense
Foliage Porosity Winter	Dense
Foliage Texture	Coarse
Fruit/Seed Color	Brown
Fruit/Seed Conspicuous	No
Growth Form	Colonizing
Growth Rate	Moderate
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)	1
Height, Mature (feet)	1
Known Allelopath	No
Leaf Retention	Yes
Lifespan	Long
Low Growing Grass	No
Nitrogen Fixation
Resprout Ability	Yes
Shape and Orientation	Prostrate
Toxicity	Slight

Growth Requirements
Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils	Yes
Adapted to Fine Textured Soils	No
Adapted to Medium Textured Soils	Yes
Anaerobic Tolerance	None
CaCO3 Tolerance	None
Cold Stratification Required	No
Drought Tolerance	High
Fertility Requirement	Low
Fire Tolerance	Medium
Frost Free Days, Minimum	130
Hedge Tolerance	None
Moisture Use	Low
pH, Minimum	5.9
pH, Maximum	7.9
Planting Density per Acre, Minimum	1200
Planting Density per Acre, Maximum	4800
Precipitation, Minimum	24
Precipitation, Maximum	35
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)	20
Salinity Tolerance	None
Shade Tolerance	Tolerant
Temperature, Minimum (°F)	-23

Reproduction
Bloom Period	Early Summer
Commercial Availability	Routinely Available
Fruit/Seed Abundance	Low
Fruit/Seed Period Begin	Spring
Fruit/Seed Period End	Summer
Fruit/Seed Persistence	No
Propagated by Bare Root	Yes
Propagated by Bulb	No
Propagated by Container	Yes
Propagated by Corm	No
Propagated by Cuttings	Yes
Propagated by Seed	No
Propagated by Sod	No
Propagated by Sprigs	No
Propagated by Tubers	No
Seed per Pound	0
Seed Spread Rate	None
Seedling Vigor	Low
Small Grain	No
Vegetative Spread Rate	Moderate

Suitability/Use
Berry/Nut/Seed Product	No
Christmas Tree Product	No
Fodder Product	No
Fuelwood Product	None
Lumber Product	No
Naval Store Product	No
Nursery Stock Product	Yes
Palatable Browse Animal	Low
Palatable Graze Animal	Low
Palatable Human	No
Post Product	No
Protein Potential	Low
Pulpwood Product	No
Veneer Product	No

Kingdom Plantae -- Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta -- Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons

Subclass Rosidae

Order Rhamnales

Family Rhamnaceae -- Buckthorn family

Genus Ceanothus L. -- ceanothus P

Species Ceanothus ×flexilis Greene ex McMinn -- flexible ceanothus P

Uses

Ceanothus x flexilis is used as a ground cover that provides erosion control and is used for restoration projects due to its low and wide growth pattern. Its maintenance is low and it is used for ornamental value on road slopes revegetation and landscaping slopes around rural and mountain homes.

Status

Consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status, such as state noxious status and wetland indicator values.

Description

Buckthorn Family (Rhamnaceae). Ceanothus x flexilis is a native, evergreen, semi-erect shrub that grows 0.6 to 1.2m (2 to 4 feet) high and spreads to 0.6 to 2.4m (2 to 8 feet) wide. It is a naturally occurring hybrid between buckbrush (Ceanothus cuneatus) and squawcarpet (Ceanothus prostrates). The leaves are opposite and the flowering period is April and May. Flower clusters are small with white to bluish, umbellate flowers.

Distribution

Ceanothus x flexilis is native to California. For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

Adaptation

Ceanothus x flexilis is adapted to lower elevations that receive a coastal influence.

Establishment and Management

After Ceanothus x flexilis has formed a third pair of leaves they can be transplanted individually to larger ½ to 1 gallon containers. The young plants will be ready for their permanent location in 11/2 to 2 years. New plants should be watered occasionally until they are well established; after which, deep watering every 1 to 1 ½ months will be adequate to maintain uniform growth.

Container plants may be available from local nurseries. Dig a hole two to three times the diameter of the root ball and at least six inches deeper. Backfill the hole with six inches of native soil. Make a few, 1/8 inch deep vertical cuts in the root ball, or carefully “tease” roots away from the root ball with your hands to encourage roots to grow into the new soil. Set the plant into the hole with 8 feet spacing between each plant and fill in around roots, firming the soil with your hands as you fill until the hole is half full. Fill the hole with water and allow to settle. This will settle the silt and eliminate air pockets around the roots. Backfill with enough planting mix so the plant will set at the same level it was growing in the container. Water to allow soil to settle, then add more soil if necessary. Build a berm of soil to form a watering basin around the outer edge of the hole. Break the basin down after two or three years. Provide the plant with weed control measures during the first year.

Seed Production

Ceanothus x flexilis is a hybrid cross and does not produce seed.

Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin’

‘Cuesta’ Cultivar- Collected from a native stand near the Grass Valley airport, Nevada County, California in 1974. Stem cuttings were collected from mature plants on this site and used to grow container plants for experimental plantings in the Sierra Nevada foothills. It was initially selected for its possible use on CALTRANS revegetation projects and compared to about 60 different species of shrubs in the Sierra Nevada foothills. It showed superior performance in establishment, maintenance and ornamental value.

Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone book under ”United States Government.” The Natural Resources Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading “Department of Agriculture.”

References

USDA NRCS. 1991. Notice of Release of ‘Cuesta’ Ceanothus x flexilis. Ecological Sciences Division, Washington D.C. and California Agricultural Experiment Station, University of California, Davis, CA.

Prepared By

Dave Dyer, USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Lockeford, and Reina O’Beck, California State Office, Davis, California.

Species Coordinator

Dave Dyer, USDA NRCS Lockeford Plant Materials Center, California.

Edited: 8Sep2005 rb; 23sep05 jsp; 05jun06 jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS Web site<https://plants.usda.gov> or the Plant Materials Program Web site <https://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov>

Attribution: U.S. Department of Agriculture