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chaparral whitethorn

Scientific Name: Ceanothus leucodermis

Family: Rhamnaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Shrub

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Ceanothus leucodermis (Chaparral Whitethorn)

Considerations for Pets

  • The plant possesses rigid, divaricate branches, which could pose a poking hazard.
  • Mention of "spinescent" qualities

Considerations for Children

  • The plant possesses rigid, divaricate branches, which could pose a poking hazard.
  • Mention of "spinescent" qualities

Ceanothus leucodermis, commonly known as Chaparral Whitethorn or Chaparral White Thorn, is a shrub belonging to the buckthorn family.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Ceanothus leucodermis Greene
  • Family: Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn Family)

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to California.
  • Found on dry rocky or sandy slopes, particularly in the coast ranges and the Sierra Nevada.

Morphological Characteristics

  • An erect, evergreen shrub that can grow to a height of 6 to 12 feet (approximately 2-4 meters).
  • Characterized by rigid, divaricate branches with pale green, smooth bark.
  • Some descriptions refer to the plant as "spinescent"
  • Develops like a tree, creating a thick crown.

Traditional Uses

  • Leaves of Cascara (actually Coffeeberry) and Chaparral Whitethorn boiled together to treat poison oak rash (Luiseño tribe).