Snowbrush

Ceanothus velutinus

Characteristics

• Persistent, leathery, glossy green leave

• Underneath side of leaf pale

• Leaf has sweet spicy smell when rubbed

• Leaf has 3 prominent veins from base

• Often mistaken for manzanita

• Flowers in small, dense white clusters

Ecology

• Roadsides and clearings at fairly high elevations

• Often invades cutovers and burned over lands

• Seeds retain viability for up to 3 years• Seeds stimulated to germinate by fire• Forms dense thickets and fields• Good cover for deer

Ecology continued

• In Eastern Oregon, abundant Snowbrush is indicative of moisture levels conducive to Douglas Fir growth