Description

This is another San Francisco Bay Area introduction of longstanding. ‘Owlswood Blue’ was discovered in a garden in Oakland, CA, in the 1950s and introduced to the nursery trade by the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation in 1975. Ceanothus arboreus and Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. griseus are thought to be the parents, as for Ceanothus ‘Ray Hartman.’ ‘Owlswood Blue’ is a fast grower to about ten feet tall and more than 20 feet wide. The dense leaves are large ovals with a smooth, waxy appearance. The solid blue flowers cover the plant densely with maturity. ‘Owlswood Blue’ does well in typical conditions for a ceanothus: full sun and at least medium-draining soil. It is a great choice for a screen or informal hedge.