Ceanothus Skylark

It is easy to see why Ceanothus 'Skylark' is one of the most planted California lilacs. This bushy shrub produces a long spring flowering, with deep blue, nectar-rich flower clusters, which are attractive to butterflies and bees. It tolerates summer drought and limestone, and it shows good hardiness for an evergreen ceanothus. Superb as a standalone plant, in a shrub bed or as a free hedge.

Ceanothus 'Skylark' is a horticultural hybrid probably derived from Ceanothus thyrsiflorus and C. velutinus. The first parent is native to California and Oregon. Its second parent is native to western North America, from British Columbia to California through Colorado. Ceanothus are part of the Rhamnaceae family, and are cousins of buckthorn (Frangula alnus). They do not tolerate wet soil; daily or too frequent watering will generally sign its death warrant.

'Skylark' has a bushy, slightly upright, dense, and flexible habit. It will reach about 2 m (6.6 ft) in all directions in about 6-7 years. Its lovely purple flower buds appear abundantly in May-June, at the tips of the branches, mingling with small dense panicles of fully opened flowers in a dazzling dark blue. The flowers measure 6 cm to 8 cm (2.4 in to 3.1 in) long. This abundant and fragrant flowering lasts for several weeks and attracts many pollinating insects. It is followed by the formation of seeds which, once mature, are released explosively. The evergreen foliage is dark green and glossy, and is composed of small alternate, elliptical, finely toothed leaves, measuring 2 cm to 5 cm (0.8 in to 2 in) long. They persist throughout the winter. This variety tolerates light pruning, just after flowering. Its average lifespan is 15 to 20 years. It does not tolerate clayey, heavy, and poorly drained soil. In well-drained soil, it can withstand temperatures down to -12° C to 15° C (10.4° F to 5° F) once well established.

In recent years, horticulturists have 'invented' beautiful varieties of ceanothus that are easier to acclimatise and have more modest dimensions, suitable for our gardens and terraces. Ceanothus 'Skylark' is a beautiful subject to plant alone or in a bed of easy-to-maintain shrubs in mild climates. Choose to plant it alongside Mexican orange, strawberry trees, coronillas, rock roses, bottlebrushes, and Escallonias. It is a very good plant for a dry garden without watering or a seaside garden.