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Ceanothus cuneatus - (Hook.)Nutt.

Common Name Buckbrush, Sedgeleaf buckbrush, Monterey ceanothus
Family Rhamnaceae
USDA hardiness 6-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Dry slopes below 1800 metres in California[71].
Range South-western N. America - Oregon to California and Mexico.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Ceanothus cuneatus Buckbrush,  Sedgeleaf buckbrush,  	Monterey ceanothus


Ceanothus cuneatus Buckbrush,  Sedgeleaf buckbrush,  	Monterey ceanothus
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of shrub
Ceanothus cuneatus is an evergreen Shrub growing to 1.8 m (6ft) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. It is in leaf all year, in flower in May, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees.
It can fix Nitrogen.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Rhamnus cuneatus.

Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Seed
Edible Uses: Tea

Seed[94]. No more details are given. The leaves and flowers make an excellent tea when steeped in boiling water for about 5 minutes[183].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Astringent  Digestive  Hepatic  Pectoral  Tonic

Astringent, digestive, pectoral, tonic. A liver tonic[94].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Dye  Soap

A green dye is obtained from the flowers[168]. A red dye is obtained from the root[94]. The stems have been used as rods in basket making[257]. All parts of the plant are rich in saponins - when crushed and mixed with water they produce a good lather which is an effective and gentle soap[94, 168, 169]. This soap is very good at removing dirt, though it does not remove oils very well. This means that when used on the skin it will not remove the natural body oils, but nor will it remove engine oil etc[K] The flowers are a very good source, when used as a body soap they leave behind a pleasant perfume on the skin[K]. The developing seed cases are also a very good source of saponins[K].

Special Uses

Nitrogen Fixer

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Prefers a warm sunny position but tolerates light shade[11, 200]. Prefers a light soil with a low lime content[108]. Tolerates some lime, but will not succeed on shallow chalk[200]. Plants dislike root disturbance, they should be planted out into their permanent positions whilst still small[182]. Dislikes heavy pruning, it is best not to cut out any wood thicker than a pencil[182]. Plants flower on the previous year's growth, if any pruning is necessary it is best carried out immediately after flowering[200, 219]. Constant pruning to keep a plant small can shorten its life[200]. A fast-growing plant, it flowers well when young, often in its second year from seed[11]. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[200]. Some members of this genus have a symbiotic relationship with certain soil micro-organisms, these form nodules on the roots of the plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200, 212].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

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Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed should be pre-soaked for 12 hours in warm water and then given 1 - 3 months stratification at 1°c[138, 200]. Germination usually takes place in 1 - 2 months at 20°c[138]. One report says that the seed is best given boiling water treatment, or heated in 4 times its volume of sand at 90 - 120°c for 4 - 5 minutes and then soaked in warm water for 12 hours before sowing it[214]. The seed exhibits considerable longevity, when stored for 15 years in an air-tight dry container at 1 - 5°c it has shown little deterioration in viability[214]. The seed is ejected from its capsule with some force when fully ripe, timing the collection of seed can be difficult because unless collected just prior to dehiscence the seed is difficult to extract and rarely germinates satisfactorily[214]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter and plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, taken at a node[200], July/August in a frame[11]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, 7 - 12 cm with a heel, October in a cold frame[78]. The roots are quite brittle and it is best to pot up the callused cuttings in spring, just before the roots break[78]. Good percentage.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

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Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Ceanothus americanusNew Jersey Tea, Wild SnowballShrub1.2 4-9 FLMSNDM333
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Ceanothus integerrimusDeer BrushShrub4.0 6-9  LMSNDM212
Ceanothus maritimusMaritime CeanothusShrub1.0 7-10  LMSNDM003
Ceanothus ovatusSmaller Red-RootShrub1.0 4-8  LMSNDM212
Ceanothus prostratusSquaw Carpet, Prostrate ceanothusShrub0.1 6-9  LMSNDM003
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Ceanothus species Shrub2.0 5-9  LMHSNDM002
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Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Author

(Hook.)Nutt.

Botanical References

1171200

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