Ceanothus velutinus, with the common names snowbrush ceanothus, red root, and tobacco brush, is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California to Colorado, where it grows in several habitat types including coniferous forest, chaparral, and various types of woodland.
ceanothus voluminous grows up to 4 meters tall but generally remains under three, and forms colonies of individuals which tangle together to form nearly impenetrable thickets. The aromatic evergreen leaves are alternately arranged, each up to 8 centimeters long. The leaves are oval with minute glandular teeth along the edges, and shiny green and hairless on the top surface.
The plentiful inflorescences are long clusters of white flowers. The fruit is a three-lobed capsule a few millimeters long which snaps open explosively to expel the three seeds onto the soil, where they may remain in a buried seed bank for well over 200 years before sprouting. The seed is coated in a very hard outer layer that must be scarified, generally by wildfire, before it can germinate. Like most another ceanothus, this species fixes nitrogen via actinomycetes in its root nodules.
| Requirement | |
|---|---|
| Hardiness | 4,5,6,7 |
| Heat Zones | 4,5,6,7 |
| Climate Zones | 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| Plant Type | Shrubs |
| Plant Family | Rhamnaceae |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest | Spring, Summer, Mid Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer |
| Height | 8' - 9' |
| Spread | 5' - 6' |
| Water Needs | Low, Average |
| Maintenance | Low, Average |
| Soil Type | Acid |
| Characteristics | Showy, Attracts Butterflies |
| Garden Styles | Coastal Garden |
| Planting Place | Banks and Slopes |