VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Ceanothus cuneatus | Wedgeleaf Ceanothus 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Wedgeleaf ceanothus provides excellent browse and cover for a wide
variety of wildlife species.  Since leaves persist, it is particularly
important to deer during the winter months, and in some areas 50 to 70
percent of the current growth is utilized annually [13,24,25].  Often,
heavy wet snow will bend the branches of taller, older plants to within
easy reach of deer [25].  Where deer utilization is heavy, browse may
stay within reach of deer for 20 to 25 years [9].  Wedgeleaf ceanothus
generally loses its value as a browse before stands reach 60 years of
age [53].

Domestic sheep and goats feed on wedgeleaf ceanothus where available
[9,55,61].  However, cattle and horses generally use this browse only
when other more preferred species are scarce or absent [61,64].

Many small birds, mammals, and insects consume large numbers of
wedgeleaf ceanothus seed.  Seeds are important food items for many
species of squirrels, the chaparral mouse, house mouse, deer mouse,
California mouse, California pocket mouse, valley quail, mountain quail,
and mariposa brush rabbit [39,61,66].


PALATABILITY : 
The foliage and twigs of wedgeleaf ceanothus are highly palatable to
mule deer and black-tailed deer, and to domestic sheep and goats
[25,57,64].  Tender young sprouts and seedlings are particularly
relished by these animals [8,54].  Interestingly, wedgeleaf ceanothus is
of relatively greater palatability to older sheep, which tend to be more
selective foragers, than to the less discriminating juvenile sheep [27].
Overall palatability to cattle is low [64].  However, studies have shown
that the relative palatability of wedgeleaf ceanothus to cattle, and to
other species as well, may be enhanced through the application of
fertilizers [24].  Seeds are highly palatable to many small mammals,
birds, and insects [14].  The relish and degree of use shown by livestock
and wildlife species for wedgeleaf ceanothus is rated as follows [13,64]:

	             California
Cattle  		poor
Sheep	              good-fair
Domestic goats  	good
Deer			fair


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Wedgeleaf ceanothus is moderately high in protein, and is an important
source of vitamin A during the summer and fall when grasses have dried
[55].  Overall nutritional value of wedgeleaf ceanothus varies
seasonally [26,55,58].  Crude protein generally decreases as leaves
mature, while crude fiber increases [55]:

		crude protein - %			crude fiber - %
young leaves		15					5.5
mature leaves		 8				       12.2

Mineral composition has been determined as follows [58]:

	       average % dry weight -
      P	         S	  Ca	   Mg	     K	
     .12	.11      .62      .23       .74

A number of studies have documented the specific nutritional content of
wedgeleaf ceanothus by both plant part and phenological stage
[26,54,58].


COVER VALUE : 
Wedgeleaf ceanothus provides excellent cover for many wildlife species
including the valley quail, California jackrabbit, brush rabbit, and
mourning dove [8,14].  Studies have shown that the preferred habitat of
the chaparral mouse is under the protective branches of wedgeleaf
ceanothus [39].  Many other small rodents, including the deer mouse,
California mouse, house mouse, and California pocket mouse, hide, feed,
and nest beneath the canopy of this shrub [39].  Plants frequently grow
tall enough, and with sufficient density, to furnish good hiding cover
for larger ungulates such as deer.


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Many species within the genus Ceanothus are well suited for use in
rehabilitation because of rapid growth rates and an ability to improve
soil fertility through fixing atmospheric nitrogen.  Some cultivars are
now commercially available [19].

Wedgeleaf ceanothus has been successfully planted onto many types of
disturbed sites throughout southern California and the desert Southwest
[19].  It established well on disturbed sites near Lake Tahoe but
exhibited poor long-term survival due to cold winter temperatures [59].
Properly treated seed can be hand-sown onto burned slopes as an
emergency revegetation measure in southern California chapparal [5].
Good seedling establishment has been reported following seeding of these
sites [5].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Native peoples boiled the leaves and flowers of wedgeleaf ceanothus for
use in teas and tonics [61].  Flowers contain detergentlike substances
known as saponins, and have been made into perfumes and soaps [61,64].
Branches of wedgeleaf ceanothus were formerly used to construct fish
dams or weirs [64].  Many species of ceanothus are well suited for use
as ornamentals [30]; wedgeleaf ceanothus has been cultivated since 1848
[52].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Competition:  In some areas, vigorous postdisturbance growth of
wedgeleaf ceanothus can retard the establishment and growth of conifers
[13].

Chemical treatment:  Although the application of fertilizers may help
restore vigor to decadent plants, leader growth is generally not
stimulated [24].  Fertilizers often result in increased mortality of
young wedgeleaf ceanothus seedlings as competitive herbaceous vegetation
is stimulated and overtops the young plants [24].

Grazing:  Wedgeleaf ceanothus has been observed to increase after cattle
grazing in foothill hardwood rangelands [16].

Production:  Preliminary estimates have been made of wedgeleaf ceanothus
biomass in Sequoia National Park.  Results are as follows [47]:

	density/ha		biomass (kg ha -1)
				stem		foliage		total
         1,380  		7,670   	  469           8,139

Related categories for Species: Ceanothus cuneatus | Wedgeleaf Ceanothus