Today we are going to talk about a plant that is part of a genus of species of trees and shrubs that are very tolerant to drought and have great showiness. Its about Ceanothus thyrsiflorus. They are widely used in the ornamentation and decoration of public spaces and private gardens since they have flowers in the form of blue clusters called California lilos. It has a peculiarity and a very striking color that makes it perfect for decoration requiring very little care.
Therefore, we are going to dedicate this article to tell you everything you need to know about the characteristics, cultivation and care of the Ceanothus thyrsiflorus.
Key features
There are also some deciduous species of this genus and others more resistant to intense cold. Near the genus there are about 50 species of native trees and shrubs that are quite interesting to know. The leaves of this species are persistent, leathery and small. They have a glossy dark green color and there are some varieties that have variegated foliage. It is well known for having very dense blankets with a large number of flowers during its time that reach 0.5 and 3 meters in height when they are adults.
There are some varieties that exceed 7 meters in height, although it is not the most normal. They may have a semi-erect bearing and are allowed to lean against a wall.
The color of the flowers varies from dark blue to very light colors, and even white in some varieties. They grow between three and eight centimeters and are made up of panicles or racemes, as well as bouquets or umbels of small flowers. They appear in the spring and attract bees, birds, and other pollinators. This makes it a perfect plant to attract pollinating insects to your garden and that other plants can also benefit.
It is known by the common names of California Lila, Huacalillo and Ceanoto. We must say that the most used varieties in the world of gardening do not exceed one meter in height. The inflorescences that they are capable of producing have a white or blue color and are very decorative. The flowering time is in spring, although everything is going well, they can bloom again during the fall.
If you have a more arid area in the garden, the Ceanothus thyrsiflorus it is perfect to cover it. It can also be used with good results in rockeries and slopes, being possible also to grow them in pots. They are plants suitable for gardens by the sea, since they can tolerate a certain degree of salinity in the soil. It will grow without any problems and they will help to decorate the coastal garden.
Cultivation of Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
We know that Ceanothus thyrsiflorus It is quite resistant to drought, but even so it requires some requirements and care for its correct maintenance. The first of all is to know the exposure and the location of the plant. Although it is a plant that supports semi-shade well, full sun exposure is necessary if we want it to be able to develop in good conditions and have a beautiful enough flowering time to act as what it is, a decorative plant.
The ideal soil for these types of plants is one that has a sandy texture and a somewhat more acidic pH. However, it can grow in other types of soils without any problem. What it is more demanding is in terms of drainage. We remember that drainage is the capacity of the soil to be able to filter rain or irrigation water. Otherwise, a soil that does not have good drainage and has somewhat more compact soil, can begin to store water and end up rotting the roots of the plants. In the case of Ceanothus thyrsiflorus require good drainage so that excess irrigation or rain water does not accumulate.
It also does not tolerate clay or excess moisture from the soil itself. Regarding irrigation, You have to water moderately since they are shrubs that resist drought very well. You can spend long periods of time as little rainfall and a little more scarce irrigation that will not have any problem. This plant is perfect for those people who travel a lot and do not spend a lot of time at home. The drought resistance of Ceanothus thyrsiflorus It helps to avoid having to be constantly aware of irrigation, so it leaves much more freedom of maneuver.
Maintenance of Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
We are going to see what are the small maintenance tasks and what are the conditions that they must have to avoid pests and diseases. Regarding maintenance, we see that it is good to prune lightly once the flowering season is over in spring. This pruning consists mainly of removing the inflorescences that have been wilted. This allows the plant to develop new inflorescences and take advantage of these stems.
They are generally quite resistant to pests and diseases, although certain environmental and soil conditions can cause you to suffer from chlorosis. In this case, chlorosis begins to appear if the soil where it is planted is very calcareous. We just have to avoid this type of soil or in the case of having it, we can sow this plant in pots.
It is a plant that can be propagated from woody cuttings and should be done in autumn. Another method of propagation is through tender cuttings that should be done in early spring. Thus, take advantage of the good weather to be able to grow to the maximum.
Its roots have the ability to fix nitrogen on the substrate. Pruning is usually done without pruning, nor is it necessary to prune immediately after flowering. It is best to sow in spring. You cannot tolerate transplantation well. This plant can be placed isolated, supported on a slope or wall, or laid out in dense paths to form a free hedge. The repens varieties are very attractive evergreen groundcover plants.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the Ceanothus thyrsiflorus and their characteristics.
