BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Ceanothus foliosus | Waveyleaf Ceanothus 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Waveyleaf ceanothus is a procumbent or prostrate, native evergreen shrub
[21,26,29].  Its small, waxy leaves, from 0.2 to 0.6 inch (0.5-1.5 cm)
long, are borne on spreading glandular branches.  The fruits are small
capsules containing about 12 hard-coated seeds.  The growth habit of
waveyleaf ceanothus roots remains unstudied.  Gregg ceanothus (Ceanothus
greggii), an obligate seeder of similar size, has lateral roots
spreading to 6.6 feet (2 m), with vertical growth from 11.8 to 15.7
inches (30-40 cm) [17].  Waveyleaf ceanothus roots develop large
nitrogen-fixing nodules [6,29].  Plants live about 30 years [20].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Phanerophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Waveyleaf ceanothus is classified as an obligate seeder [21,23,26,29].
Seed production varies, depending upon available soil moisture.  During
wet years, an individual plant may produce hundreds of seeds.  During
drought, the plant may produce no seed at all.  Most seeds remain under
the parent plant and are gradually covered by duff.  Some seeds are
dispersed by water, or by birds and small mammals [12].  The maximum
length of viability is unknown but is believed to be several decades
[24].  Germination generally requires overwinter stratification [24,29].
The seeds, however, demonstrate some ability to germinate without prior
stratification.  Under natural conditions, germination of unscarified
seeds is probably rare [12].  Quick [24] found that 33 percent of the
waveyleaf ceanothus seeds he tested, however, germinated without prior
scarification under greenhouse conditions.  Seedling mortality is high,
with seedlings vulnerable to competition from other species, drought,
and herbivory [12].  Waveyleaf ceanothus plants are sexually mature at
about 5 years [7,14].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Waveyleaf ceanothus is most common in the low coastal hills.  These
hills are often fog-bound from November to mid-April, with the fog
burning off in the afternoon.  From mid-April on, the slopes are dry and
sunny until the next rainy season begins [24].  Mean temperatures run
from 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees C) in July and August to 45
degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees C) in December and January [11].

Climate:  Waveyleaf ceanothus occurs in a Mediterranean climate with
mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers [21,26,29]. 

Elevation:  Waveyleaf ceanothus occurs between 200 to 5,000 feet
(61-1,524 m) [26].

Soil:  Waveyleaf ceanothus grows in rocky, sandy or sandy-loam soil.  It
will tolerate serpentine soil [15].

Associated species:  Waveyleaf ceanothus is associated with Eastwood
manzanita (Arctostaphylos glandulosa), Stanford manzanita (A.
stanfordiana), toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), wedgeleaf ceanothus (C.
cuneatus), deerbrush (C. integerrimus), yerba santa (Eriodictyon
californicum), and chaparral pea (Pickeringia montana) [2,11].  (also
see SAF Cover Types)


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Waveyleaf ceanothus is shade intolerant [10].  It is a residual
colonizer on disturbed sites, where its nitrogen-fixing ability gives it
an early competitive edge over most chaparral species [6].  The presence
of sexually mature waveyleaf ceanothus individuals within a community
denotes mid-seral status.  Waveyleaf ceanothus is rarely found in climax
communities [10,20].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Waveyleaf ceanothus flowers from March to May, producing most of its
vegetative growth at the same time [11,21].  The floral primordia for
the following year's flowers are produced in May [12].  Fruits develop
in late spring to early summer, and their seed is cast from June through
August [7].  Although waveyleaf ceanothus leaves persist throughout the
year, many are lost in the summer [11].

Related categories for Species: Ceanothus foliosus | Waveyleaf Ceanothus