Ceanothus velutinus

Common Names

Snowbrush, Tobacco Brush, Snowbrush Ceanothus, Shiny-Leaf Ceanothus, California Lilac, Buckbrush, Mountain Balm, Sticky Laurel, Red Root

Summary

Ceanothus velutinus is an evergreen shrub native to western North America, typically forming open to dense thickets and reaching about 2–9 feet tall with an upright habit. Distinctive features include aromatic, leathery leaves with a velvety underside and glossy upper surfaces, panicles of white flowers, and brown, sticky capsules that explosively eject seeds; a nitrogen-fixing root system supports growth.

Cultivation emphasizes well-drained soils, including rocky substrates, and preference for full sun to partial shade with moderate moisture; drought tolerance develops after establishment. Useful in landscapes as an evergreen hedge or screen and as a wildlife-friendly planting, it propagates by seed or cuttings, with seed often requiring scarification, heat treatment, or stratification, and cuttings rooted with rooting hormone and intermittent mist.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

2-10 feet

Spread

6-12 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7-7

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally Full Sun, tolerates Partial Shade, tolerates Full Shade, Sun or Partial Shade

Soil Type

Well-draining loamy soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

5.5-7.0, slightly acidic to moderately alkaline

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Spring into early Summer

Foliage Color

Dark green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Fast

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Layering, Cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds.