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Deerbrush

Ceanothus integerrimus

Deerbrush is an open, deciduous ceanothus of western foothills with fragrant white-to-pale-blue plumes, named for the deer that browse it heavily. A fast nitrogen-fixing pioneer after fire. The seed has been ground into a traditional meal (piñole).

Family

Rhamnaceae

Type

shrub

Lifespan

perennial

Height

13–13 ft

Spacing

4–10 ft apart

Light

sun

Soil moisture

dry, moist

Soil pH

neutral, alkaline

Bloom

May, June, July

Bloom colors

white, pink, blue

Wildlife value

butterflies, pollinators, larval host

Caterpillar hosts

~45 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

specimen, hedge or screen

Native states

AZ, CA, NM, OR, WA