ceanothus

American  

[see-uh-noh-thuhs] / ˌsi əˈnoʊ θəs /

noun

plural

ceanothuses

1. any North American shrub or small tree of the largely western genus Ceanothus, having clusters of small white or blue flowers.

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ceanothus British  

/ ˌsiːəˈnəʊθəs /

noun

1. any shrub of the North American rhamnaceous genus Ceanothus: grown for their ornamental, often blue, flower clusters

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Etymology

Origin of ceanothus

< New Latin (Linnaeus) < Greek keánōthos a species of thistle

Example Sentences

“Some plants, like heather, blue fescue, lavender, nandina and ceanothus, tend to not be long lived in an urban landscape,” Goetz observes.

From Seattle Times • May 18, 2024

This includes Mediterranean sub-shrubs such as germander, rosemary and lavender, as well as West Coast native evergreen huckleberry, ceanothus and mock orange, all of which furnish the garden with structure, blooms and fragrance.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 22, 2023

In spring, the garden’s ceanothus, salvia and California honeysuckle add vibrant color to the garden’s silvery color palette.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 12, 2022

There’s a California lilac — not the true syringa lilac of rhapsodic song and poetry but a ceanothus.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2022

She planned to plant a clump of ceanothus along the approach to the swimming pool.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan