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    • Photo of Ceanothus 'Dark Star' flower, form by Annie's Annuals & Perennials

    Photo by Annie's Annuals & Perennials

    Used with permission, all rights reserved

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    Ceanothus 'Dark Star'

    Also Known As

    • Ceanothus x impressus 'Dark Star'
    • Dark Star Wild Lilac

    Plant type

    shrub

    size

    • H: 4'-6'
    • W: 6'-8'

    planting zones

    • 7a-10b

    More Options

    Ceanothus 'Dark Star' plant details

    Ceanothus 'Dark Star' is a broadleaf evergreen shrub with green foliage. In spring and summer blue flowers emerge. Features glossy texture. Attracts bees, birds, butterflies and hummingbirds making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with sun - bright shade and occasional - low water. Drought tolerant once established. Prefers to be dry in summer. Adapts to various soil conditions. Does well in average, clay, gritty, lean and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something heat tolerant, seaside / salt tolerant, verticillium wilt resistant and wind tolerant.

    CHARACTERISTICS OF Ceanothus 'Dark Star'

    Plant type: shrub
    Plant family: rhamnaceae
    Foliage: evergreen green
    Mature size: 6 FT - 8 FT - wide, 4 FT - 6 FT - tall
    Flowers: blue blooms in spring and summer
    Uses: distinctive veining, fragrant

    GROWING CONDITIONS for Ceanothus 'Dark Star'

    USDA Zones: 7a - 10b
    Sun exposure: sun - bright shade
    Watering frequency: occasional - low
    Resistant to: deer, heat, seaside / salt, verticillium wilt and wind
    Soil needs: average, clay, gritty, lean and well-drained

    Nursery contributed plant descriptions

    This is a very special plant for the water-wise garden. The deep-cobalt late-spring flowers never fail to get attention and are stunning against the small, deeply crinkled, dark-green evergreen leaves. Becoming a 5-6' tall shrub which is wide-spreading to 8-12'. Wonderfully useful as a hedge or specimen; deer and drought-tolerant, fire-wise, pollinator attracting and nitrogen fixing! S/M-D/GDr

    By: Forestfarm

    Dark Star' is a particularly fine evergreen cultivar with arching stems and an upright pyramidal habit. The flowers are honey-scented and dark purplish blue. The dense, dark foliage makes a great foil for other plants and an effective informal screen for privacy. 'Dark Star' is a hybrid likely of C. impressus and C. papillosus.

    By: Phoenix Perennials and Specialty Plants Ltd.

    Ceanothus 'Dark Star' is a compact fast growing shrub growing to about 6 feet tall by 8 feet wide. This Cenaothus impressus hybrid is composed of small, rough-textured dark green leaves and dark cobalt-blue flower clusters that appear in Spring. It thrives in coastal gardens but is not recommended for inland valleys. Cultivars such as this are horticultural selections and hybrids, not part of the native ecology but work beautifully in the garden. Provide seeds eaten by bushtits, mockingbirds, quail and finches, as well as cover for birds. This Ceanothus impressus hybrid is one of the showiest of the California Lilacs it was introduced by Ken Taylor in 1971

    By: The Watershed Nursery

    6' tall and equally wide with small, dark leaves that appear almost black-green from a distance. Flowers are a rich cobalt blue in spring. Sensitive to water molds, so best used in coastal gardens with well-drained soils. Upright and arching when young, it becomes more rounded in maturity. Hardy to 15F.

    By: Native Sons

    Mouth-watering, cobalt-blue flowers follow glossy pink buds over a long season, beginning mid-April, on this 5 x 8 ft shrub with handsome, evergreen, crinkled, dark foliage. Introduced in the 1970s by plantsman Ken Taylor, one of its parents being the sturdy C. impressus. Great plant for the dry garden in full sun and well-drained soil with little summer water once established, perhaps only in extremely hot weather. Frost hardy in USDA zone 8. Said to be deer resistant.

    By: Cistus Nursery

    A hybrid of Ceanothus impressus and C. papillosus, hardy to 0-10 degrees. When this plant is happy, it's spectacular -- one of the three showiest along with 'Concha' and 'Julia Phelps'. Tiny, rough black green textured-leaves and round flowers clusters and dark cobalt blue, scented blooms and the dense dark foliage and blooms make a wonderful backdrop for bright colored blooms of their plants. Particularly subject to summer 'Leaf Drop' when it gets really and hot and dry in summer -- don't water it after it's established. It will regrow leaves in the Fall rains. That's it's nature to drop leaves as a drought mechanism if necessary.

    By: Lazy S'S Farm Nursery

    Tiny evergreen leaves are deeply veined. In early spring masses of deeply colored burgundy buds open to brilliant cobalt-blue flowers. Full sun.

    By: Briggs Plant Propagators

    Intense cobalt blue flowers nearly obscure the tiny deep green leaves in late March and April. Give this well-drained soil and don't over-amend or fertilize - it's a nitrogen fixer and don't water once established. Tough love is what this beauty needs. A south or west aspect is best.

    By: Far Reaches Farm

    Evergreen shrub 5' tall x 8' wide with dark, cobalt blue flowers and tiny green leaves.

    By: Dancing Oaks Nursery

    This California native evergreen shrub is perhaps the most striking of all the genus. It has 1/2 inch sized dark, densely growing, shiny leaves, & darkly regal blue flower clusters that smother the plant in late winter & early spring. It grows to 8' high & 6' wide, becoming tree-like with age. 'Dark Star' looks particularly striking when planted adjacent to grey foliage or white flowers, & is better suited to coastal gardens than inland areas. A wonderful habitat plant for butterflies, hummingbirds, & quail, Ceonothus are drought tolerant, clay tolerant, deer resistant, FRAGRANT, & EASY. Once established, NO SUMMER WATER IS REQUIRED.

    By: Annie's Annuals & Perennials

    Gardening facts about Ceanothus 'Dark Star' plant

    How to Grow Ceanothus 'Dark Star'

    • Sun Exposure

      • sun - bright shade

    • Water Needs

      • occasional - drought tolerant

    • Water Needs

      • dry in summer

    • Soil Needs

      • clay
      • adaptable
      • average
      • lean
      • well-drained
      • gritty

    • Special Situation

      • heat tolerant
      • seaside / salt tolerant
      • wind tolerant
      • verticillium wilt resistant

    Features

    • Foliage Color

      • green

    • Flower Color

      • blue

    • Wildlife

      • birds
      • bees
      • butterflies
      • hummingbirds
      • deer resistant

    • Flower Season

      • summer
      • spring

    • Foliage Season

      • evergreen

    • Texture

      • glossy

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