Blue blossom (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. thyrsiflorus) is emblematic of our coastal California gardens and post fire successional plant communities. This magnificent large-scale, fast growing shrub also known as California lilac is hard to miss. The bloom is happening right now. On a walk through local gardens or in an open space area burned within the last 10 years you will be treated to masses of fragrant light lavender to sky blue flowers. Shiny emerald green leaves with a densely branched growth habit create a very satisfying evergreen presence. In the garden, this plant must have good drainage and little to no summer water to have a long life. Botanists refer to our part of the world as the California Floristic Province (CFP). Produced by a “complex 3-d mosaic of climatic, …
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