Ceanothus cuneatus
Common name: 
Narrowleaf Buckbrush
Common Buckbrush
Wedgeleaf Ceanothus
Greasewood
Pronunciation: 
see-a-NO-thus ku-ne-A-tus
Family: 
Rhamnaceae
Genus: 
Ceanothus
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
Yes
  • Broadleaf evergreen, stiff shrub, 3-13 ft (0.9-4 m) tall, or low-spreading at high elevations, may form dense thickets, branchlets spread at nearly right angles, lateral branchlets thorn-like, young twigs have a soft, grayish pubescence.  Leaves opposite (but sometimes appearing whorled), simple, oblong to obovate, margin entire or slightly toothed at apex, 0.5-2 cm long, bluish-green, conspicuously veined below, short petiole.  Flowers creamy-white, many in clusters (umbles) which are on short, stiff branches.  Fruit subglobose, a 3-horned capsule, 6 mm long, at maturity the upper portion separates from the lower section (it explodes), leaving receptacle and base attached to the shrub and dispersing three shiny dark seeds some distance.
  • Sun, drought tolerant
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 6      Native range extends from southern Washington southward to Oregon and southern California and extreme western Nevada, found principally on gravelly or rocky locations.  It is extremely variable and a number of forms have been identified and named.  Sometimes separated into three botanical varieties:
    • Ceanothus cuneatus var. cuneatus: flowers white to pale blue to lavender; leaves not closely clustered, blades oblanceolate to obovate or rounded, margins entire.
    • Ceanothus cuneatus var. fascicularis: flowers white to pale blue to lavender; leaves closely clustered, blades narrow-oblanceolate to oblong, margines entire or few-toothed near tips.
    • Ceanothus cuneatus var. rigidus: flowers bright to pale blue (white horticultural selections available); leaves not clustered, blades oblanceolate to round-ovate, margins toothed above middle or entire.
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: SW corner of arboretum area south of Peavy Forest Science Center
Click image to enlarge
  • flower buds and opening flower clusters

    flower buds and opening flower clusters

  • in habitat, western Oregon, spring flowering

    in habitat, western Oregon, spring flowering

  • in a landscape, spring flowering

    in a landscape, spring flowering

  • flowering branch

    flowering branch

  • leafy branches

    leafy branches

  • leaf

    leaf

  • fruiting branches

    fruiting branches

  • developing fruit clusters

    developing fruit clusters

  • ripening fruit

    ripening fruit

  • ripe fruit and remnant after it explodes

    ripe fruit and remnant after it explodes