Ceanothus 'Repens' (Creeping Californian Lilac) – Evergreen Ground Cover (2L Pot)

A low, spreading Californian lilac that covers the ground and turns soft sky blue in late spring.

'Repens' is the prostrate form: ground hugging rather than upright, so it carpets a sunny bank, spills over the top of a wall or fills the front of a border where a taller shrub would be wrong. The small, glossy dark green leaves stay on all winter. Our source gives a mature size across this range of 0.9m to 3m tall and 2m to 4m wide, with 'Repens' the ground covering one. It flowers from late spring into early summer, often with a lighter repeat in autumn.

Give it a warm, sunny spot with shelter from cold drying winds, ideally against a south or west facing wall, in soil that drains freely. The RHS lists ceanothus among the plants for milder coastal gardens, so it takes salt air, though it still wants shelter from the worst gales. Once established it copes with dry ground and needs very little attention. Trim lightly straight after flowering and never cut into old wood, because the evergreen kinds do not reshoot from bare stems. Ceanothus grows quickly and tends to be short lived, so treat it as a fast, generous performer rather than a fixture.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Californian lilac
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: 0.9m to 3m tall and 2m to 4m wide across this range of varieties. 'Repens' is the low, spreading one.
• Growth Habit: Low, spreading, ground hugging evergreen shrub
• Perfect For: Ground cover, sunny banks, wall tops, bed and border fronts, coastal gardens, large containers
• Foliage: Small, glossy, dark green leaves, held all year
• Flowering Time: Late spring to early summer, with a lighter repeat flush in autumn
• Planting Position: Full sun, sheltered from cold drying winds. Takes salt air in a milder coastal garden. Grows well in a large container.
• Soil Type: Well drained, moderately fertile soil. It will not tolerate waterlogging.
• Hardiness: Hardy in most of Britain, happiest with shelter from cold drying winds
• Maintenance: Low. Light trim after flowering, avoiding old wood.
• Seasonal Interest: Spring, summer and autumn
• Type: Evergreen flowering shrub